Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
How to Transform the U.S. Mental Health System: Evidence-based Recommendations
Discusses evidence-based strategies to promote mental healthcare utilization, improve access to care, and establish a continuum of care. Offers 15 recommendations to improve mental healthcare, including policies regarding reimbursement, workforce growth, and digital and telehealth services, among other topics. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report, Research Brief: Transforming Mental Health Care in the United States
Author(s): Ryan K. McBain, Nicole K. Eberhart, Joshua Breslau, et al.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Discusses evidence-based strategies to promote mental healthcare utilization, improve access to care, and establish a continuum of care. Offers 15 recommendations to improve mental healthcare, including policies regarding reimbursement, workforce growth, and digital and telehealth services, among other topics. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report, Research Brief: Transforming Mental Health Care in the United States
Author(s): Ryan K. McBain, Nicole K. Eberhart, Joshua Breslau, et al.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Diagnosing and Managing Mild TBI in Rural Kids
Discusses the challenges of diagnosing and treating pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in rural areas. Covers recommendations and rules for computerized tomography (CT) scans and symptom assessment, recovery and support for patients, educational resources for patients and families, and telemedicine as an option that increases access to follow-up care for mTBI.
Author(s): Kelly Sarmiento
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Discusses the challenges of diagnosing and treating pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in rural areas. Covers recommendations and rules for computerized tomography (CT) scans and symptom assessment, recovery and support for patients, educational resources for patients and families, and telemedicine as an option that increases access to follow-up care for mTBI.
Author(s): Kelly Sarmiento
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Medicare Severe Wound Care: Spending Declines May Reflect Site of Care Changes; Limited Information Is Available on Quality
Reports on an analysis of where Medicare beneficiaries received care for severe wounds in 2018 and Medicare payment for these services. Provides an overview of the implementation of a dual payment system for long-term care hospitals in 2016, and examines how the dual payment system affected the availability and quality of severe wound care for Medicare beneficiaries. Includes data on severe wound care by facility type in addition to Medicare spending by urban and rural location.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reports on an analysis of where Medicare beneficiaries received care for severe wounds in 2018 and Medicare payment for these services. Provides an overview of the implementation of a dual payment system for long-term care hospitals in 2016, and examines how the dual payment system affected the availability and quality of severe wound care for Medicare beneficiaries. Includes data on severe wound care by facility type in addition to Medicare spending by urban and rural location.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Deaths From COVID‐19 in Rural, Micropolitan, and Metropolitan Areas: A County‐Level Comparison
Presents a study on the difference in rates of mortality from COVID-19 in rural versus urban areas from February 10, 2020, to June 12, 2020. Discusses the factors that predict COVID-19 mortality, such as elderly populations and limited access to healthcare, among others. Breaks down data in rural, metropolitan, and micropolitan counties and highlights COVID-19 cases, hospital beds, and unemployment rate, among other mortality measures in those counties.
Author(s): Saleema A. Karim, Hsueh-Fen Chen
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 124-132
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Presents a study on the difference in rates of mortality from COVID-19 in rural versus urban areas from February 10, 2020, to June 12, 2020. Discusses the factors that predict COVID-19 mortality, such as elderly populations and limited access to healthcare, among others. Breaks down data in rural, metropolitan, and micropolitan counties and highlights COVID-19 cases, hospital beds, and unemployment rate, among other mortality measures in those counties.
Author(s): Saleema A. Karim, Hsueh-Fen Chen
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 124-132
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Lessons Learned: Pediatric Tele-Mental Health in a Rural Medical Center in the Age of SARS-CoV-2
Explores a study on the use of telemedicine to expand mental healthcare access to rural children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses implementation concerns such as a need to protect patient privacy and expand internet-based infrastructure.
Author(s): Komal Satti, Olutosin Ojugbele
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 260-262
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Explores a study on the use of telemedicine to expand mental healthcare access to rural children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses implementation concerns such as a need to protect patient privacy and expand internet-based infrastructure.
Author(s): Komal Satti, Olutosin Ojugbele
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 260-262
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Telemedicine Services During COVID‐19: Considerations for Medically Underserved Populations
Discusses the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and details some of the barriers to its use in underserved communities. Highlights the lack of broadband internet in rural areas and on tribal lands, as well the lack of technological capability among older people.
Author(s): Tasha Woodall, Melinda Ramage, John T. LaBruyere, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 231-234
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Discusses the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and details some of the barriers to its use in underserved communities. Highlights the lack of broadband internet in rural areas and on tribal lands, as well the lack of technological capability among older people.
Author(s): Tasha Woodall, Melinda Ramage, John T. LaBruyere, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 231-234
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Integrating Telemedicine for Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Primary Care: Beyond the COVID Pandemic
Discusses adapting expanded telehealth services used during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Highlights the successes of telehealth expansion during COVID-19 and suggests ways it could be used to increase access to medication treatment for OUD.
Author(s): Yih-Ing Hser, Larissa J. Mooney
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 246-248
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Discusses adapting expanded telehealth services used during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Highlights the successes of telehealth expansion during COVID-19 and suggests ways it could be used to increase access to medication treatment for OUD.
Author(s): Yih-Ing Hser, Larissa J. Mooney
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 246-248
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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The Importance of Video Visits in the Time of COVID-19
Highlights the importance of video-to-home telemedicine (VTH) for maintaining mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the usefulness of VTH in expanding access to mental healthcare broadly, as well as some of the infrastructure-based limitations that currently exist.
Author(s): Jan A. Lindsay, Julianna B. Hogan, Anthony H. Ecker, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 242-245
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Highlights the importance of video-to-home telemedicine (VTH) for maintaining mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the usefulness of VTH in expanding access to mental healthcare broadly, as well as some of the infrastructure-based limitations that currently exist.
Author(s): Jan A. Lindsay, Julianna B. Hogan, Anthony H. Ecker, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 242-245
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Barriers to Telemedicine Implementation in Southwest Tribal Communities During COVID-19
Explores some of the barriers to expanding telemedicine to tribal communities in the Southwestern U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses some of the existing health and infrastructure disparities faced by the tribes and details both the need for telemedicine and the barriers to providing it.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Jessica L. Mackelprang, Solmaz Amiri, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 239-241
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Explores some of the barriers to expanding telemedicine to tribal communities in the Southwestern U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses some of the existing health and infrastructure disparities faced by the tribes and details both the need for telemedicine and the barriers to providing it.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Jessica L. Mackelprang, Solmaz Amiri, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 239-241
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Telehealth in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Veteran and Military Beneficiaries
Presents a study on the use of telehealth to provide mental healthcare to rural veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the Veterans Health Administration and the Defense Health Agency's use of telehealth and telemental health and their effectiveness in treating rural veterans.
Author(s): Robert D. Shura, Timothy W. Brearly, Larry A. Tupler
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 200-204
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Presents a study on the use of telehealth to provide mental healthcare to rural veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the Veterans Health Administration and the Defense Health Agency's use of telehealth and telemental health and their effectiveness in treating rural veterans.
Author(s): Robert D. Shura, Timothy W. Brearly, Larry A. Tupler
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 200-204
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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