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• A small, generally geographically remote facility that provides outpatient and inpatient hospital services to people in rural areas. The designation was established by law, for special payments under the Medicare program. To be designated as a CAH, a hospital must be located in a rural area, provide 24-hour emergency services; have an average length-of-stay for its patients of 96 hours or less; be located more than 35 miles (or more than 15 miles in areas with mountainous terrain) from the nearest hospital or be designated by its State as a "necessary provider". Hospitals may have no more than 25 beds.

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  Cite Definition for Critical Access Hospital (CAH)

  American Psychological Association (APA)

  Critical Access Hospital (CAH). (n.d.). HAI Glossary for Consumers. Retrieved June 9, 2023, from website: http://www.expertglossary.com/definition/critical-access-hospital-cah.

  Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

  Critical Access Hospital (CAH). www.cdc.gov. HAI Glossary for Consumers. CDC. http://www.expertglossary.com/definition/critical-access-hospital-cah (accessed: June 9, 2023).

  Modern Language Association (MLA)

  "Critical Access Hospital (CAH)." HAI Glossary for Consumers. CDC. 9 June. 2023 http://www.expertglossary.com/definition/critical-access-hospital-cah.

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