[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR485.616]

[Page 599]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
  CHAPTER IV--CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
                 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES--(Continued)
 
PART 485--CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: SPECIALIZED PROVIDERS--Table of Contents
 
Subpart F--Conditions of Participation: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
 
Sec. 485.616  Condition of participation: Agreements.

    (a) Standard: Agreements with network hospitals. In the case of a 
CAH that is a member of a rural health network as defined in Sec. 
485.603 of this chapter, the CAH has in effect an agreement with at 
least one hospital that is a member of the network for--
    (1) Patient referral and transfer;
    (2) The development and use of communications systems of the 
network, including the network's system for the electronic sharing of 
patient data, and telemetry and medical records, if the network has in 
operation such a system; and
    (3) The provision of emergency and nonemergency transportation 
between the facility and the hospital.
    (b) Standard: Agreements for credentialing and quality assurance. 
Each CAH that is a member of a rural health network shall have an 
agreement with respect to credentialing and quality assurance with at 
least--
    (1) One hospital that is a member of the network;
    (2) One QIO or equivalent entity; or
    (3) One other appropriate and qualified entity identified in the 
State rural health care plan.

[62 FR 46036, Aug. 29, 1997]