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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

South Carolina State Health Improvement Plan 2018-2023
Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for a variety of topics including child welfare, chronic conditions, and behavioral health. See pages 51-65 for discussion of rural healthcare access and social determinants of health.
Additional links: South Carolina Rural Health Action Plan
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina (AHSC)
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A Rural Hospital Gets A Second Chance
Describes efforts undertaken in 2016 and 2017 to save an independent rural North Carolina hospital from closure, by affiliating with a larger healthcare system.
Author(s): Dana M. Weston
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 79(6), 373-374
Date: 11/2018
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Using Telehealth to Support Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Provides an issue brief on how telehealth can increase access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). Addresses how telehealth is used, implemented, and reimbursed, highlighting the implications for MAT.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Looking Back But Leaning Forward: New Opportunities and Challenges for North Carolina's Rural Communities
Issue brief describing efforts among local and state leaders to promote community engagement in rural North Carolina and to address shortages of physicians and advanced practitioners. Also examines challenges faced by rural North Carolina hospitals, uses of telemedicine, plans to promote quality care for children and families, and recommendations for the future.
Author(s): Thomas G. Irons, Margaret L. Sauer
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 79(6), 366-371
Date: 11/2018
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Factors Influencing Patient Adherence with Diabetic Eye Screening in Rural Communities: A Qualitative Study
Reports on a study in rural Wisconsin to understand the circumstances affecting diabetic patients' adherence to yearly eye screening in order to design effective interventions and increase screenings in rural health settings.
Author(s): Yao Liu, Nicholas J. Zupan, Olayinka O. Shiyanbola, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 13(11)
Date: 11/2018
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State Laws and Policies Affecting Broadband Access in Eight Northern Region States
Highlights several state-level broadband policies and their effect on healthcare access in rural communities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Compares broadband access in rural areas to state and national averages and breaks down the policies in each state.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Network for Public Health Law
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Health Disparities Among American Indians/Alaska Natives — Arizona, 2017
Reports on sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare access, health behaviors, health status, and chronic conditions among Arizona adults, with data for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), White, and other adults. Discusses the need for culturally tailored public health approaches to address AI/AN health disparities.
Author(s): Monique Adakai, Michelle Sandoval-Rosario, Fang Xu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 67(47), 1314-1318
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Tribal Broadband: FCC Should Undertake Efforts to Better Promote Tribal Access to Spectrum
Examines wireless broadband access for tribal entities, barriers to obtaining spectrum licensing for tribes, and steps taken by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to support tribal access. Provides recommendations for the FCC to improve broadband wireless internet access in rural tribal areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Information on Medicare Telehealth
Report to Congress, as mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act, examining how Medicare patients are using telehealth, particularly in rural areas, with breakdowns by race/ethnicity, age group, and primary diagnoses including mental health issues. Includes an analysis of Medicare claims data regarding high volume services that could be delivered through telehealth, an overview of telehealth models funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and state-level breakdowns of Medicare telehealth data. Discusses who may benefit from telehealth expansion and barriers to expansion.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (VA MISSION Act; P.L.115-182)
Provides an overview of the changes made to the VA MISSION Act, including establishing a permanent Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and provisions to help recruit and retain healthcare providers. Discusses provisions specific to healthcare access for veterans in rural and underserved areas.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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