Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
WIC Participant and Local Agency Staff Perspectives on Increased Cash-Value Benefits for Fruits and Vegetables Within an American Indian Tribal Organization
Explores the perceived impacts of increased cash-value benefits for fruits and vegetables through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in tribal communities associated with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona. Bases findings on a survey of participants and staff on their perceptions about the increase and its effect on their ability to access a more nutritious diet.
Author(s): Emily M Melnick, Francesco Acciai, Nicole Vaudrin O'Reilly, et al.
Citation: Maternal & Child Nutrition, 22(1), e70148
Date: 03/2026
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Explores the perceived impacts of increased cash-value benefits for fruits and vegetables through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in tribal communities associated with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona. Bases findings on a survey of participants and staff on their perceptions about the increase and its effect on their ability to access a more nutritious diet.
Author(s): Emily M Melnick, Francesco Acciai, Nicole Vaudrin O'Reilly, et al.
Citation: Maternal & Child Nutrition, 22(1), e70148
Date: 03/2026
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Usual Source of Care for Rural Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries in 2021
Explores Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries' usual source of care in 2021. Describes the types of facilities that serve as primary care providers for rural Medicare FFS beneficiaries. Compares the usual source of care for beneficiaries by demographic characteristics, including degree of rurality.
Author(s): Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Melissa Sandahl, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Mark Holmes
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Explores Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries' usual source of care in 2021. Describes the types of facilities that serve as primary care providers for rural Medicare FFS beneficiaries. Compares the usual source of care for beneficiaries by demographic characteristics, including degree of rurality.
Author(s): Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Melissa Sandahl, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Mark Holmes
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part One
A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Geospatial Structural Isolation Analysis of Emergency Services in New York State
Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel-time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel-time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Telemedicine in Rural EMS: Expanding Capabilities and Scope
Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Evaluation of the Making Care Primary Model
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Explores model participation, participants' early implementation experiences, and the model's chances for meeting model expansion criteria related to cost and quality.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Explores model participation, participants' early implementation experiences, and the model's chances for meeting model expansion criteria related to cost and quality.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural-Urban Differences in Dental Care Utilization After a Public Health Emergency
Explores COVID-19-specific impacts on dental care access and utilization among rural and urban populations. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban status.
Author(s): Quazi Minhaz Tabassum, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Ahmed A. Arif
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Explores COVID-19-specific impacts on dental care access and utilization among rural and urban populations. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban status.
Author(s): Quazi Minhaz Tabassum, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Ahmed A. Arif
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Strengthening California's Primary Care Team Workforce: Data and Recommendations for Action
Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Final Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Health Care Access from the Rural Perspective: A Narrative Review
Examines rural healthcare access in the dimensions of geographic, temporal, financial, cultural, and virtual. Discusses rural versus urban access challenges and access disparities related to geographic distance and available transportation, broadband internet access and digital literacy, healthcare workforce shortages, and the social determinants of health.
Author(s): Peter Kaboli, Adam Blaine, Jasmine Mares, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70119
Date: 02/2026
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Examines rural healthcare access in the dimensions of geographic, temporal, financial, cultural, and virtual. Discusses rural versus urban access challenges and access disparities related to geographic distance and available transportation, broadband internet access and digital literacy, healthcare workforce shortages, and the social determinants of health.
Author(s): Peter Kaboli, Adam Blaine, Jasmine Mares, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70119
Date: 02/2026
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