Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Examining Rural Hospital Bypass for Inpatient Services
Explores the drivers of rural hospital bypass for inpatient services. Examines demographic characteristics, why patients bypassed their nearest rural hospital, how the local supply of healthcare services affects rural hospital bypass, and if health insurance networks or cost affect the decision to bypass rural hospitals.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Explores the drivers of rural hospital bypass for inpatient services. Examines demographic characteristics, why patients bypassed their nearest rural hospital, how the local supply of healthcare services affects rural hospital bypass, and if health insurance networks or cost affect the decision to bypass rural hospitals.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Social Determinants of Health: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural America
Recorded presentation by Jan Probst on social determinants of health in rural America. Offers definitions of social determinants of health and rurality, and discusses economic dynamics of rural areas, education, and the importance of cooperative efforts to make change, with examples of such efforts in South Carolina.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Recorded presentation by Jan Probst on social determinants of health in rural America. Offers definitions of social determinants of health and rurality, and discusses economic dynamics of rural areas, education, and the importance of cooperative efforts to make change, with examples of such efforts in South Carolina.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Modernizing Demand-Responsive Transportation for the Age of New Mobility
Provides an overview of demand-responsive transportation (DRT) and its role in supporting people with disabilities, older adults, people with lower incomes, and rural residents. Explores how a new data specification, the transactional data specification (TDS), can be used to modernize DRT services. Presents case studies of systems adopting TDS, including ITNAmerica, a national transportation network serving older adults in rural communities, and a pilot program in rural Oregon. Offers recommendations to policymakers and stakeholders to promote wide-scale adoption of TDS by DRT providers.
Author(s): Jana Lynott
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Provides an overview of demand-responsive transportation (DRT) and its role in supporting people with disabilities, older adults, people with lower incomes, and rural residents. Explores how a new data specification, the transactional data specification (TDS), can be used to modernize DRT services. Presents case studies of systems adopting TDS, including ITNAmerica, a national transportation network serving older adults in rural communities, and a pilot program in rural Oregon. Offers recommendations to policymakers and stakeholders to promote wide-scale adoption of TDS by DRT providers.
Author(s): Jana Lynott
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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How Might Internet Connectivity Affect Health Care Access?
Describes how a lack of internet access may negatively impact access to healthcare. Features data and statistics on internet access, with information broken down by race/ethnicity, age, poverty level, insurance status and type, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location. Discusses COVID-19 and how social distancing measures have led to increased implementation of telehealth, resulting in additional challenges accessing healthcare among people with little to no internet connectivity.
Author(s): Krutika Amin, Matthew Rae, Giorlando Ramirez, Cynthia Cox
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Describes how a lack of internet access may negatively impact access to healthcare. Features data and statistics on internet access, with information broken down by race/ethnicity, age, poverty level, insurance status and type, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location. Discusses COVID-19 and how social distancing measures have led to increased implementation of telehealth, resulting in additional challenges accessing healthcare among people with little to no internet connectivity.
Author(s): Krutika Amin, Matthew Rae, Giorlando Ramirez, Cynthia Cox
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Substance Use Disorder: Reliable Data Needed for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program
Reviews what is known about the number of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities and services, overall treatment capacity, and barriers to expanding capacity. Describes the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis (STR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) programs, and examines how seven states utilized these programs. Evaluates the data used to assess the effectiveness of these programs, and offers recommendations to improve the reliability of data collected on individuals served by the SABG program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reviews what is known about the number of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities and services, overall treatment capacity, and barriers to expanding capacity. Describes the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis (STR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) programs, and examines how seven states utilized these programs. Evaluates the data used to assess the effectiveness of these programs, and offers recommendations to improve the reliability of data collected on individuals served by the SABG program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Federal Funding for Rural Health: Supporting Planning and Development Around a Regional Transportation Need
Features Rides to Health and Wealth, a regional transportation program in eastern Missouri helping improve rural healthcare access and other health-related transportation needs. Includes discussion of how the program planning and development continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features Rides to Health and Wealth, a regional transportation program in eastern Missouri helping improve rural healthcare access and other health-related transportation needs. Includes discussion of how the program planning and development continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Washington's Behavioral Health Workforce: Barriers and Solutions - Phase II Report and Recommendations
Report highlights an assessment of the barriers affecting the Washington State's behavioral health workforce and discusses potential policy solutions to address them. Includes recommendations pertaining to reimbursement incentives, training, and reciprocity agreements, among other barriers to address throughout the state, including in rural areas.
Author(s): Julia G. O'Connor, Nova E. Gattman, Liz Coleman, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies, Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
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Report highlights an assessment of the barriers affecting the Washington State's behavioral health workforce and discusses potential policy solutions to address them. Includes recommendations pertaining to reimbursement incentives, training, and reciprocity agreements, among other barriers to address throughout the state, including in rural areas.
Author(s): Julia G. O'Connor, Nova E. Gattman, Liz Coleman, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies, Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
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The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Improve Maternal Health
Describes the state of maternal health in the United States, including data and statistics on mortality and morbidity. Discusses risks to maternal health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, intimate partner violence, and more. Recommends strategies and actions that individuals, organizations, and communities can implement to improve maternal health and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Describes the state of maternal health in the United States, including data and statistics on mortality and morbidity. Discusses risks to maternal health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, intimate partner violence, and more. Recommends strategies and actions that individuals, organizations, and communities can implement to improve maternal health and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America
Action plan outlining steps the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking to reduce maternal mortality and address disparities that endanger women before, during, and following pregnancy. Four main goals include: improving prevention and treatment services to promote positive health outcomes for every woman of reproductive age; prioritizing quality improvement efforts to support healthy pregnancies and births; improving postpartum health; and enhancing data and research to inform future interventions. Includes data and statistics on maternal health and morbidity, and addresses rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Dawn Alley, Andre Chappel, Nancy De Lew, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Action plan outlining steps the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking to reduce maternal mortality and address disparities that endanger women before, during, and following pregnancy. Four main goals include: improving prevention and treatment services to promote positive health outcomes for every woman of reproductive age; prioritizing quality improvement efforts to support healthy pregnancies and births; improving postpartum health; and enhancing data and research to inform future interventions. Includes data and statistics on maternal health and morbidity, and addresses rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Dawn Alley, Andre Chappel, Nancy De Lew, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Colorado 2020 Strategic Action Plan on Aging
Discusses aging in Colorado and recommends strategies and approaches to promote healthy aging, access to health services, wellness, and community participation of older Coloradans. Mentions rural throughout. See chapter 8 for discussion of rural transportation and mobility management.
Author(s): Jarett Hughes
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Strategic Planning Group on Aging
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Discusses aging in Colorado and recommends strategies and approaches to promote healthy aging, access to health services, wellness, and community participation of older Coloradans. Mentions rural throughout. See chapter 8 for discussion of rural transportation and mobility management.
Author(s): Jarett Hughes
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Strategic Planning Group on Aging
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