The 2026 Definitive Guide to Rural Healthcare is here →

Author name: Helen Williams

Helen Williams, CPC, CPM, has more than 35 years of experience consulting for multiple specialties. She is versed at working with CAHs to improve and refine financial and operational workflows that maximize reimbursements and financial sustainability. She also has extensive experience with RHCs on development and conversion ranging from evaluating eligibility to facilitating certification and approval to training to remain compliant in and with billing and operational functions. In her role as senior healthcare consultant with Azalea, she offers valuable insights and guidance for specialty practices, hospitals, and rural health clinics.

Helen Williams, CPC, CPM,
critical access hospital requirements​ represented by blue hospital highway sign

Critical Access Hospital Requirements for Care Centers in Transition

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Critical access hospitals (CAHs) get financial protection and access to government resources to support care in rural areas. Hospitals are only eligible for the CAH designation if they participate in the Medicare program. To earn the CAH designation, facilities also need to meet certain critical access hospital requirements. Criteria include distance, type of facility, staffing, […]

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Man on stretcher arriving at rural emergency hopsital

The Rural Emergency Hospital Designation: What to Know

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The rural emergency hospital designation gives rural hospitals a way to stay open when inpatient care becomes unprofitable. Instead of running inpatient units, hospitals can shift to a model that relies on emergency and outpatient services. This arrangement provides more consistent Medicare reimbursements and reduces financial uncertainty. It can benefit hospitals facing challenges due to

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Patient Registration: the Gateway to Improved Hospital Financials and Patient Experience

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Key Takeaways to Improve Hospital RCM Through Better Registration Why Improving The Patient Registration Process Is The Key to Better Hospital Financials & Patient Experience For years, the healthcare industry, driven by CMS and payer requirements, has been focused on capturing as much clinical patient data at the time of care as possible. Now, we

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