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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Losses, Gains, and Changes to the Food Environment in a Rural Kentucky County during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study conducted in rural Laurel County, Kentucky, regarding changes to the food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers suggestions for future programming to address inequitable access and response during public health emergencies.
Author(s): Makenzie L. Barr, Courtney Martin, Courtney Luecking, Kathryn Cardarelli
Citation: Nutrients, 13(11), 3929
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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Improving Access to Care in Underserved Rural Communities: Eighteenth Annual Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress
Offers policy and program development recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress regarding primary care training and education. Recommendations aim to advance health equity through enhanced support of primary care workforce training to address health barriers in rural and other underserved communities. Covers longitudinal clinical training in rural primary care, integrating oral and behavioral health in primary care, enhancing telehealth capacity, and supporting interprofessional team-based education and practice in maternal-infant care.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
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2019 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report: Chartbook on Rural Health Care
Summarizes trends in healthcare quality and disparities for rural populations. Includes quality measures for access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, effective treatment, healthy living, and affordability.
Author(s): Barbara Barton, Romsai Tony Boonyasai, Cecilia Hahn
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Technical Assistance Helps Community #SilencetheShameTN
Features behavioral and mental health programming offered by Henry County Medical Center and the community of Paris, Tennessee. Describes technical assistance and resources provided by the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development program to support this effort.
Author(s): Tami Lichtenberg
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Rural Hospital Staffing
Summarizes the results of a survey of rural hospital leaders between September 21, 2021 - October 15, 2021, regarding COVID-19 vaccination among rural hospital personnel. Discusses the prevalence of vaccine mandates at rural hospitals and the impact of staffing shortages on access to care.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The Chartis Group
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Assessment of State and Federal Health Policies for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
Examines state-level policy data from government and nonprofit agencies related to treatment access and treatment retention for patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Describes policy changes affecting telehealth coverage, delivery, and payment; issues of licensing and security; and the initiation and dispensing of treatment medications.
Author(s): Seema Chosky Pessar, Anne Boustead, Yimin Ge, Rosanna Smart, Rosalie Liccardo Pacula
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 2(11), e213833
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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Rural Telehealth and Healthcare System Readiness Measurement Framework: Final Report
Presents a performance measurement framework to guide quality and performance improvement for healthcare services delivered via telehealth in rural areas in response to disasters. Covers five domains — access to care and technology; costs, business models, and logistics; experience; effectiveness; and equity — rural-specific measurement issues, and potential solutions. Includes recommendations for rural telehealth measurement for time-sensitive emergencies, public health emergencies, and disasters.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Network Adequacy for Behavioral Health: Existing Standards and Considerations for Designing Standards
Summarizes findings from a technical expert panel and an environmental scan to examine federal and state network adequacy standards for behavioral health across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, and commercial insurance. Presents considerations and principles for designing, monitoring, and enforcing additional behavioral health network adequacy standards.
Author(s): Katharine Bradley, Allison Wishon, Alexandra C. Donnelly, Amanda Lechner
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Funding for USDA Rural Broadband Programs
Provides an overview of funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) for two rural broadband-related programs: the ReConnect Program and the Rural Broadband Program. Compares administrative provisions and requirements for the ReConnect Program with requirements for previous rounds of funding.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Examining Rural Hospital Bypass for Outpatient Services
Explores the drivers of rural hospital bypass for outpatient services and the relationship between hospital outpatient services and inpatient utilization. Examines demographic and market characteristics associated with bypass for outpatient services before and after inpatient admissions. Also analyzes how utilization for common outpatient services differs between Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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