Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Bridging the Gap: A Scoping Review of Family Caregiver Roles in Rural Health Settings
Presents a literature review exploring how unpaid caregivers contribute to rural healthcare systems by filling gaps in the rural healthcare infrastructure. Highlights the various roles that unpaid caregivers play in the provision of healthcare, such as providing transportation, translating for family members, and telehealth mediation, among other activities.
Author(s): Stephanie Quon, Isabel Truong, Leah Moroz, Katherine Zheng
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 26(1), 10621
Date: 03/2026
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Presents a literature review exploring how unpaid caregivers contribute to rural healthcare systems by filling gaps in the rural healthcare infrastructure. Highlights the various roles that unpaid caregivers play in the provision of healthcare, such as providing transportation, translating for family members, and telehealth mediation, among other activities.
Author(s): Stephanie Quon, Isabel Truong, Leah Moroz, Katherine Zheng
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 26(1), 10621
Date: 03/2026
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Rural Health Transformation Program: State Focus on Maternal and Child Health
Describes maternal and child healthcare initiatives addressed in state Rural Health Transformation Program applications. Covers access to maternity care, the maternal health workforce, community-based behavioral health programs, technology-enabled strategies for maternal health, and more.
Author(s): Anoosha Hasan, Elliot Hill, Zack Gould
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Describes maternal and child healthcare initiatives addressed in state Rural Health Transformation Program applications. Covers access to maternity care, the maternal health workforce, community-based behavioral health programs, technology-enabled strategies for maternal health, and more.
Author(s): Anoosha Hasan, Elliot Hill, Zack Gould
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Geographic, Racial, and Sex Disparities in Time to Treatment for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer
Research letter analyzes how timely treatment initiation differs among adults with early-onset colorectal cancer by four levels of rurality, sex, and race/ethnicity, using 2006-2020 SEER Program data.
Author(s): Meng-Han Tsai, Steven S. Coughlin, Jorge Cortes, Kenneth J. Vega
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(3), e261980
Date: 03/2026
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Research letter analyzes how timely treatment initiation differs among adults with early-onset colorectal cancer by four levels of rurality, sex, and race/ethnicity, using 2006-2020 SEER Program data.
Author(s): Meng-Han Tsai, Steven S. Coughlin, Jorge Cortes, Kenneth J. Vega
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(3), e261980
Date: 03/2026
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Examining Rural Population Characteristics and Access to Care in 2022: A Study of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs)
Chartbook examines the characteristics of populations living within Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) across the U.S. Explores geographic, population, and facility-based HPSAs in Primary Care and Dental and Mental Health. Highlights population-to-provider ratios, travel time and distance, and several other category-specific measurements for each HPSA.
Author(s): Craig Holden, Shena Popat, Rachel Van Vleet, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Chartbook examines the characteristics of populations living within Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) across the U.S. Explores geographic, population, and facility-based HPSAs in Primary Care and Dental and Mental Health. Highlights population-to-provider ratios, travel time and distance, and several other category-specific measurements for each HPSA.
Author(s): Craig Holden, Shena Popat, Rachel Van Vleet, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Advancing Technology Innovation through the Rural Health Transformation Program
Identifies common themes across Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) plans related to proposed health technology initiatives. Covers the information technology infrastructure, telehealth and remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence, and catalyst funds and pilot programs.
Author(s): Daisy Kim, Maya Sandalow
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Identifies common themes across Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) plans related to proposed health technology initiatives. Covers the information technology infrastructure, telehealth and remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence, and catalyst funds and pilot programs.
Author(s): Daisy Kim, Maya Sandalow
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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An Examination of All-Payer Inpatient Rural Hospital Bypass
Examines the extent to which rural patients bypassed their nearest rural hospital for inpatient care in eight states. Analyzes data on inpatient hospital admissions for rural residents of these states using the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID). Identifies factors associated with hospital-level bypass rates by patient and hospital characteristics.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Shena Popat, Alana Knudson, Marilyn G. Klug
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the extent to which rural patients bypassed their nearest rural hospital for inpatient care in eight states. Analyzes data on inpatient hospital admissions for rural residents of these states using the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID). Identifies factors associated with hospital-level bypass rates by patient and hospital characteristics.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Shena Popat, Alana Knudson, Marilyn G. Klug
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Rural Specialty Care for Veterans with the Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions: Fibromyalgia, Migraine, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Presents a study on rural veterans' access to specialty care for chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), such as fibromyalgia, migraine, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Explores the role of rural residence and primary care site access plays in veterans' ability to receive specialty care for COPCs. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, chronic pain conditions, care site, and provider type, among other factors.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Mary A. Driscoll, Jenna L. Adamowicz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70132
Date: 03/2026
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Presents a study on rural veterans' access to specialty care for chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), such as fibromyalgia, migraine, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Explores the role of rural residence and primary care site access plays in veterans' ability to receive specialty care for COPCs. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, chronic pain conditions, care site, and provider type, among other factors.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Mary A. Driscoll, Jenna L. Adamowicz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70132
Date: 03/2026
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Rural Health Transformation Program: State Focus on Primary Care
Describes primary care initiatives addressed in state Rural Health Transformation Program applications. Covers payment and delivery systems, the primary care workforce, community partners, technology upgrades to reduce barriers to care, and infrastructure and seed funding.
Author(s): Maddy Hraber, Katie Green
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Describes primary care initiatives addressed in state Rural Health Transformation Program applications. Covers payment and delivery systems, the primary care workforce, community partners, technology upgrades to reduce barriers to care, and infrastructure and seed funding.
Author(s): Maddy Hraber, Katie Green
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Transforming Rural Health: Strategies from the Field - Collaborating for Financial Viability
A brief that provides strategies for rural hospital and clinic financial viability. Discusses examples of health facility collaborations that improve access to healthcare services, address workforce shortages, and enhance quality of care.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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A brief that provides strategies for rural hospital and clinic financial viability. Discusses examples of health facility collaborations that improve access to healthcare services, address workforce shortages, and enhance quality of care.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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Measles Outbreak — New Mexico, 2025
Reports on a communication and vaccination outreach strategy used by the New Mexico Department of Health to reach a largely rural population, in response to a measles outbreak. Discusses communication activities and coordination strategies, as well as vaccination clinics and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination doses administered.
Author(s): Emma Stanislawski, Andrea Romero, Nora Holzinger, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(9), 111-115
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on a communication and vaccination outreach strategy used by the New Mexico Department of Health to reach a largely rural population, in response to a measles outbreak. Discusses communication activities and coordination strategies, as well as vaccination clinics and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination doses administered.
Author(s): Emma Stanislawski, Andrea Romero, Nora Holzinger, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(9), 111-115
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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