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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Population health

Feb 19, 2025 -

Executive Order from the Office of the President directing the establishment of the Make America Healthy Again Commission. The Commission will advise the President on policy to reduce chronic disease rates, with a particular focus on ending childhood chronic disease. The Commission will be chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy serving as Executive Director. Includes a full list of other federal agencies represented on the Commission.

Source: Federal Register
Jan 22, 2025 - Summarizes recent research finding that rural areas have a shortage of ophthalmic surgeons despite a higher need for ophthalmic surgery for rural residents. Discusses trends in access to eye surgeons and specialists between 2012 and 2022 and regional access disparities.
Source: HealthDay News
Jan 21, 2025 - Announces a new Rural Oral Health Seminar Toolkit and a renewed partnership between the National Rural Health Association and CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. Includes a call for submissions for the 2025 Compendium of Oral Health Best Practices, a resources that will showcase programs and initiatives focused on rural oral health quality and access. Submissions are due March 31, 2025.
Source: National Rural Health Association
Jan 15, 2025 - Announces a new grant to combat the opioid epidemic in rural Georgia by training, supporting, and compensating 50 rural pharmacists in dispensing naloxone in addition to community education regarding local resources. Describes increases in overdose deaths and the use of fentanyl in Georgia.
Source: UGA Today
Jan 15, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) correcting the January 8, 2025, notice requesting nominations of candidates to serve as primary and alternate delegates for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee (CIIHE TAC). Nomination letters are encouraged by February 18, 2025, but will continue to accept nominations until all primary and alternate delegate positions are filled. Nominees will be notified of the delegate selection status in March 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 15, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) terminating its rulemaking on occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare setting. This rule explains that OSHA has concluded that the most effective and efficient use of agency resources to protect healthcare workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19, as well as a host of other infectious diseases, is to focus its resources on the completion of an Infectious Diseases rulemaking for healthcare rather than a disease-specific standard. The termination of the rulemaking is effective January 15, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 15, 2025 - The Washington American Indian Health Commission has requested the state consider a federal waiver for Medicaid coverage of traditional Indigenous healing practices following waivers successfully obtained by 4 other states in 2024. Discusses health disparities in Native communities and the funding benefits tribal health clinics would get from the waiver.
Source: Native News Online
Jan 10, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updating the organizational structure for the Office of Minority Health (OMH). The name of the Division of Information and Education has been changed to the Division of Strategic Communication and Community Engagement (DCE).
Source: Federal Register
Jan 8, 2025 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is accepting nominations of candidates to serve as primary and alternate delegates for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee (CIIHE TAC). CIIHE TAC delegates must be elected tribal officials from a federally recognized tribe acting in their official capacity or individuals designated by an elected tribal official. There are vacancies for all IHS areas, except the Navajo and Tucson Areas. Nomination letters are encouraged by January 17, 2024, but will continue to accept nominations until all primary and alternate delegate positions are filled.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 7, 2025 - Describes a program connecting nurses in training with patients through free screenings in rural and other underserved communities across Indiana, offering the students hands-on practice and increasing access to healthcare for rural residents. Highlights other health outreach activities through Indiana University including eye exams, oral healthcare, fitness assessments, and more. Notes the efforts by the university to address healthcare workforce shortages in the state.
Source: News at IU