Rural Health
News by Topic: Service delivery models
Nov 13, 2024 - Highlights the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to address healthcare access issues for rural veterans in Tennessee and southern Kentucky. Discusses initiatives to improve mental and physical healthcare access, care coordination, and telehealth.
Source: VA Tennessee Valley Health Care Stories
VA: Telehealth Grant Program
Federal Register
Nov 13, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposing amending its regulations implement a new authority to establish a telehealth grant program. This new authority requires VA to enter into agreements, and expand existing agreements, for the expansion of VA telehealth capabilities and provision of telehealth services by establishing telehealth access stations in rural, highly rural, or medically underserved areas, to the extent practicable. This notice also proposes to amend the copayment regulation by exempting all telehealth services from the copayment requirement. Comments are due by January 13, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 12, 2024 - Highlights an initiative of the Central Alabama VA to increase access to eye care services for rural veterans. Describes the use of a telehealth platform, in combination with mobile clinic services, to provide central Alabama veterans with eye exams, glaucoma screenings, and follow-up care.
Source: VA News
Nov 11, 2024 - Discusses the ongoing impact of Hurricane Helene for a rural North Carolina county that lost its only dental clinic for low-income patients in the storm. Discusses barriers to recruiting more dental workforce and efforts to maintain some services in a repurposed mobile van.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Nov 11, 2024 - Announces a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to eliminate copayments for telehealth services and create a grant program to fund telehealth in non-VA facilities in rural and other underserved locations. The goal of the 2 initiatives is to reduce healthcare costs and increase access to care. Also discusses other VA efforts to expand access to healthcare.
Source: VA News
Nov 4, 2024 - Discusses telehealth and remote monitoring tool solutions for improving rural healthcare access. Highlights the role the COVID-19 pandemic played in increasing telehealth adoption and access barriers that remain in spite of wider telehealth adoption. Discusses workforce shortages, broadband challenges, and reimbursement for telehealth.
Source: TechTarget
Oct 31, 2024 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on an information collection titled "Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Jurisdictional Survey Instrument for the Title V MCH Block Grant Program, OMB No. 0906-0042—Revision." The MCH Jurisdictional Survey is designed to produce data on the physical and emotional health of mothers and children under 18 years of age in the following eight jurisdictions—American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, Puerto Rico, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Proposed revisions include further updates to survey questions to align with new Federal data standards, including updated guidance from OMB on collecting information on race and ethnicity. Comments are due by December 30, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 29, 2024 - Highlights discussions at the Sanford Health event "Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care" regarding healthcare accessibility and workforce shortages. Discusses reimbursement issues and technology advances that may help close some accessibility gaps.
Source: KELO
Oct 23, 2024 - Discusses a telepsychology program at the University of Iowa that aims to work with rural Iowans and train psychologists. Discusses the benefits of telehealth in increasing access to care in workforce shortage areas, the culture of rural, and overcoming stigma.
Source: The Daily Iowan
Oct 14, 2024 - Highlights two mobile clinic programs offering a variety of women's health services, including birth control, to rural communities in Texas and Arkansas. Notes that mobile clinics can help improve access to women's health services in rural areas, but are often expensive to operate. Describes funding strategies, community partnerships, legal considerations, and the utilization of community health workers for mobile clinic programs.
Source: KFF Health News