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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Patient Characteristics and Utilization of an Online Patient Portal in a Rural Academic General Internal Medicine Practice
Results of a study to identify characteristics of online patient portal users compared to non-users, and assess utilization through number of logons and portal messaging in an academic practice in rural New Hampshire. Features statistics including demographics, smoking status, incidence of chronic illness, and body mass index category.
Author(s): Stephen K. Liu, Annette E. Osborn, Sigall Bell, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 22(42)
Date: 02/2022
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Caregiver Experiences with Accessing Sickle Cell Care and the Use of Telemedicine
Study examining barriers to pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) care and perceptions of telemedicine by caregivers in the Midwest based on interviews with 16 caregivers of 15 children with SCD. Discusses mental health and stress issues related to care, as well as geographic and financial barriers, and the impact of telemedicine on access to care.
Author(s): Seethal A. Jacob, Roua Daas, Anna Feliciano, Julia E. LaMotte, Aaron E. Carroll
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22, 239
Date: 02/2022
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Strategies and Interventions to Reduce Suicide: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summarizes insights from a two-part virtual public workshop focused on suicide prevention interventions. Includes discussion of suicide trends for specific populations. Addresses a wide range of strategies and approaches to meet the needs of different groups, including rural and tribal populations.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Forum on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Ordering Over the Counter Tests from HRSA
Recording of a February 2022 webinar providing an overview of how Rural Health Clinics can enroll in a federal program to order COVID-19 self-testing supplies for distribution in their communities. Discusses how to order supplies and reporting requirements and answers frequently asked questions about the program. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Quantifying Rural Disparity in Healthcare Utilization in the United States: Analysis of a Large Midwestern Healthcare System
Analyzes patient utilization of rural versus urban outpatient clinics. Explores electronic health record data from 474,674 adult patients from June 2018 to March 2019 across variables such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, smoking status, and health status. Includes statistics and discussion of clinic utilization in relation to rural healthcare disparities.
Author(s): Akua Nuako, Jingxia Liu, Giang Pham, et al.
Citation: PLoS ONE, 17(2)
Date: 02/2022
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Healthcare Experiences of Uninsured and Under-Insured American Indian Women in the United States
Explores experiences of American Indian women who do not receive healthcare services through the Indian Health Service. Discusses the different ways American Indian women pay for healthcare based on information gained from 31 semi-structured interviews.
Author(s): Jessica L. Liddell, Jenn M. Lilly
Citation: Global Health Research and Policy, 7, 5
Date: 02/2022
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Colorectal Cancer Community Engagement: A Qualitative Exploration of American Indian Voices from North Dakota
Presents a study on the barriers and facilitators of colorectal cancer screening for American Indian (AI) communities in North Dakota. Bases conclusions on interviews with AI adults between 30 and 75 years of age.
Author(s): Nicole Redvers, Mia Wilkinson, Courtney Fischer
Citation: BMC Cancer, 22, 158
Date: 02/2022
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Outpatient Telehealth Use Soared Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic but Has since Receded
Brief examining outpatient telehealth visits from March 2019 to August 2021 based on a data set that includes over 126 million patients from 889 hospitals and 19,320 clinics nationwide. Covers changes in telehealth use during the pandemic, telehealth use by age group and sex, rural and urban rates of telehealth use, and telehealth use for management of chronic conditions. Discusses impacts on healthcare access, cost, quality, and outcomes, as well as policy implications.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Ann, Cynthia Cox
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organizations: KFF, Peterson Center on Healthcare
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How States Can Expand Health Care Access in Rural Communities
Discusses policy options states could use to increase access to care and the supply of healthcare providers in rural areas. Covers financial assistance programs for medical and dental education; malpractice reform; scope of practice changes for advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and dental health aide therapists; telemedicine parity; and mobile clinics.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for American Progress
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Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2022 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Pandemic Increases Pressure on Rural Hospitals & Communities: Vulnerability, Health Inequity and Staffing Crisis Amplified in Pandemic's Third Year and presentation slides on this report from the 2022 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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