Twenty of Colorado 's counties have no hospital. There are 39 rura
l hospitals in Colorado , 25 of which have fewer than 25 beds and are designated "Critical access" hospitals. These must be located in a rural area, meet the "necessary provider criteria" established by the State, and maintain an average length of stay of no more than 4 days, or 96 hours, annually. They must also have written agreements with another, larger hospital(s) for appropriate transfer and communication about patients.
