Final answer:
True
It is true that a hospital must be located in a rural area to qualify as a Critical Access Hospital, with 'rural' often being defined by criteria like population density, among others.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer your question, it is true that one of the criteria for a hospital to qualify as a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is that it must be located in a rural area. This designation is rooted in the goal of CAH status, which is to ensure that rural communities have access to essential healthcare services. The definition of 'rural' often follows specific guidelines, such as those set by the Census Bureau which includes criteria like a population density of less than 1,000 people per square mile. Thus, to categorize an area as rural and for a hospital there to potentially qualify as a Critical Access Hospital, one must consider the population density alongside other requirements detailed by healthcare regulations and the Census Bureau's classifications.