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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Access, Quality, and Financial Performance of Rural Hospitals Following Health System Affiliation
Examines the impact of health system affiliation on rural hospitals' quality and financial performance, as well as patients' access to care. Compares rural hospitals affiliated with a health system between 2008-2017 with those that did not affiliate with a health system.
Author(s): Claire E. O'Hanlon, Ashley M. Kranz, Maria DeYoreo, Ammarah Mahmud, Cheryl L. Damberg, Justin W. Timbie
Citation: Health Affairs, 38(12), 2095-2104
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Challenges in Managing Acute Cardiovascular Diseases and Follow Up Care in Rural Areas: A Narrative Review
Explores the challenges of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) management and follow-up care in rural areas. Details access and workforce issues that make ACS care challenging in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Sandra C. Thompson, Lee Nedkoff, Judith Katzenellenbogen, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 5126
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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A Systematic Review of Rural-specific Barriers to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in the United States
Analyzes a number of studies looking at medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder in rural areas. Explores barriers to accessing MAT in rural areas and makes rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Jamey J. Lister, Addie Weaver, Jennifer D. Ellis, Joseph A. Himle, David M. Ledgerwood
Citation: The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Congestive Heart Failure-Related Hospital Deaths Across the Urban-Rural Continuum in the United States
Examines current trends in congestive heart failure (CHF)-related hospital deaths with an emphasis on rural-urban differences for each census region. 2009-2014 data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used, focusing on adult hospital admissions with CHF identified as the principal diagnosis. Results from this study may aid in identifying geographic areas needing interventions to improve access to care and to reduce CHF mortality.
Author(s): Kristin Primm, Alva O. Ferdinand, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 16
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Strategic Choice in Developing Telemedicine - Observations from Three Organizations
Discusses organizational considerations such as local and regional market conditions and economics for hospital systems incorporating telemedicine into their healthcare services. Features a literature review and results of interviews with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, the Mayo Clinic Center for Connected Care, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Explores challenges and plans for expansion of services to underserved areas.
Author(s): Thomas Vaughn, Fred Ullrich, Muska Nataliansyah, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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340B Drug Discount Program: Increased Oversight Needed to Ensure Nongovernmental Hospitals Meet Eligibility Requirements
Provides an overview of the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) review of 258 nongovernmental hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program and their contracts with state and local governments. Evaluates the contracts to determine if they meet the eligibility requirement to serve low-income individuals. Outlines weaknesses in the Health Resources and Services Administration's review of the hospital contracts and offers six recommendations to improve the contract review process.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Availability of Grocery Delivery to Food Deserts in States Participating in the Online Purchase Pilot
Research letter describing a study of the Online Purchase Pilot (OPP), which allows beneficiaries in 8 states to use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy groceries online. Includes statistics on the availability of grocery delivery among rural food desert census tracts and SNAP households in the 8 OPP states.
Author(s): Eric J. Brandt, David M. Silvestri, Jerold R. Mandi, Margaret L. Holland, Joseph S. Ross
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 2(12)
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Comparison of Rural vs Urban Direct-to-Physician Commercial Promotion of Medications for Treating Opioid Use Disorder
Results of a cross-sectional county-level study using all reported direct-to-physician pharmaceutical payments from manufacturers of opioid use disorder medications from 2014-2017, as well as demographic and economic data from 3,140 counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.
Author(s): Thuy Nguyen, Barbara Andraka-Christou, Kosali Simon, W. David Bradford
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 2(12)
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Diabetes Prevention Program Sites Compared With Diabetes Prevalence and Ratio of Primary Care Physicians in Texas
Discusses partnerships between the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and state organizations to provide type 2 diabetes prevention education by increasing access to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognized Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPPs). Offers state maps that identify the county locations of DPPs in comparison to diagnosed diabetes prevalence and the ratio of primary care physicians per 100,000 residents.
Author(s): Emily Peterson Johnson, Melissa Dunn, Maria Cooper, Nimisha Bhakta
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 16
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Access to Specialty Care for Medicare Beneficiaries in Rural Communities
Findings from a voluntary online survey conducted in 2019 of 111 Rural Health Clinic (RHC) staff, from 27 states, to identify the most difficult specialty healthcare service to access, and why it is the most difficult to access. Conducts an analysis of RHC distance to the nearest hospital or clinic to determine variation in difficulty accessing specialty services.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Hannah Neprash, Carrie Henning-Smith, Mariana S. Tuttle, Ashley M. Hernandez
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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