Rural Health
News by Topic: Hospitals
Jul 2, 2024 - A policy brief from the National Rural Health Association notes that cyberattacks at healthcare facilities have increased more than 125% since 2023. Rural hospitals typically have an older IT infrastructure and inadequate IT staffing, which makes them particularly vulnerable. Microsoft and Google are offering free or discounted services to rural hospitals to help them prevent cyberattacks.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Jun 28, 2024 - Explores the Three Sisters Rural Track Program, which is a three-year family medicine program serving Central Oregon. Details the program's efforts to locate graduates from Oregon Health & Science University into residency positions at rural hospitals in Central Oregon with the aim of increasing rural physician retention.
Source: MyCentralOregon.com
Jun 28, 2024 - Washington Senator Maria Cantwell cosponsored legislation aiming to increase rural hospitals' reimbursements through Medicaid, in order to help keep maternity wards open in rural Washington communities. The legislation would give rural hospitals and hospitals with a high percentage of births among Medicaid patients a 150% Medicaid reimbursement rate.
Source: Northwest Public Broadcasting
Jun 23, 2024 - Highlights the impacts of a tele-ICU program connecting patients and providers at Whitfield Regional Hospital in rural west Alabama to providers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Describes how the program has reduced the need to transport patients out of the community for care, which can strain rural families and complicate follow-up care.
Source: AL.com
Jun 19, 2024 - Provides overview of the Dual Track Rural Hospital Support Program, administered by the Georgia State Office of Rural Health. Notes that the program has allocated a total of $6 million to 13 hospitals to fund either direct hospital support or graduate medical education programs.
Source: The Center Square
Jun 13, 2024 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of receipt of an application from the DNV Healthcare USA, Inc. for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for Critical Access Hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Comments are due by July 15, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Jun 10, 2024 - Highlights federal efforts to improve cybersecurity in healthcare. Discusses unique impacts on rural hospitals and notes private sector partnerships to support cybersecurity resiliency in those facilities.
Source: The White House
Jun 6, 2024 - Features the perspective of the leadership of Mississippi hospitals who participate in the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Program, which launched in January 2023. Notes that REH conversion has led to pushback from some communities due to the loss of maternal care and other inpatient services. Explores additional considerations for hospital leadership, including loss of eligibility for the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Source: Stateline
Jun 4, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical and typographical corrections to the May 2, 2024, proposed rule regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2025.
Source: Federal Register
DOD: TRICARE; Removal of Certain Temporary Regulation Changes Made in Response to COVID-19
Federal Register
May 24, 2024 - Notice of direct final rule from the Department of Defense Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)) removing certain temporary regulation changes put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that were automatically terminated by the end of the President's national emergency and the associated Health and Human Services (HHS) Public Health Emergency (PHE). Temporary provisions being removed by this rule include a waiver of the requirement for a three-day prior hospital stay before admission to a skilled nursing facility; waiver of certain acute care hospital requirements for temporary hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers; a waiver of certain interstate and international licensing requirements for individual professional providers; and more. If adverse comments are received, DOD will withdraw this rule and issue a proposed rule. Otherwise, this rule is effective on August 2, 2024.
Source: Federal Register