PRB Reporting and Auditing FAQ

HRSA required Reporting Entities to report patient metrics to gather information on the number of patients treated by Provider Relief Fund and/or ARP Rural recipients. Depending on recipient type, these patients may be treated in either inpatient, outpatient, or residential settings. These metrics enable HRSA to quantify respective volumes of inpatient, in-person, and virtual outpatient visits, as well as emergency visit patients.

(Modified 10/27/2022)

If a Reporting Entity cannot identify a fitting patient visit type for their patient encounters, the entity should count the distinct encounters or visits in the category that is the most fitting category available.

(Added 12/9/2021)

No. Further, only the facility that owns the bed should report on the staffed beds.

(Added 9/13/2021)

Patient metric categories include a) inpatient admissions; b) outpatient visits (in-person and virtual); c) emergency department visits; and d) facility stays (for long-term and short-term residential facilities). The definitions are included below.

1. Inpatient Admissions: number of hospital admissions on a clinician’s order (i.e., direct admit) or formally admitted from the emergency department to the hospital (i.e., emergency admission).
2. Outpatient Visits: number of in-person or virtual patient encounters with a clinician in an office-based, clinic, or hospital outpatient department setting that do not require an inpatient admission.
3. Emergency Department Visit: number of emergency department encounters for care or treatment. This may include patients on observation status who are cared for no longer than 72 hours but not formally admitted to a hospital.
4. Facility Stays: number of stays (defined as unique admissions) for patients residing in a long-term or short-term care or treatment facility.

A comprehensive user guide with definitions will be made available when the first reporting period begins.

(Updated 7/1/2021)

Personnel will be classified as either “clinical” or “non-clinical” staff using the following categories: a) full-time; b) part-time; c) contractor; d) furloughed; e) separated; and f) hired.

1. Full-time: number of personnel employed on average 30 hours of service per week, or 130 hours for a calendar month.
2. Part-time: number of personnel employed any time between 1 and 34 hours per week, whom may or may not qualify for benefits.
3. Contractor: number of personnel employed as an individual or under organizational contracts and do not receive direct benefits or compensation from the Reporting Entity.
4. Furloughed: number of personnel on involuntary and unpaid leave of absence.
5. Separated: number of personnel who 1) voluntarily submitted a written or verbal notice of resignation or 2) the Reporting Entity decided to terminate its relationship with the employee(s) (includes lay-offs and expired contracts).
6. Hired: number of personnel 1) not previously employed by the Reporting Entity or 2) that left a company due to voluntary or involuntary separation and are brought back to work by employer.

(Updated 6/11/2021)

A staffed bed is licensed and physically available with staff on hand to attend to patients; includes both occupied and available beds.

(Updated 6/11/2021)