Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care and Deteriorating Population Health Status
Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Disparities in Substance Use Disorder Telehealth Services
Results of a study examining telehealth's association with changes in disparities in substance use disorder telehealth utilization across payers and rurality, from 2019-2023. Features statistics including breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lauryn Saxe Walker, Manying Cui, Jonathan Cantor, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2459606
Date: 02/2025
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Results of a study examining telehealth's association with changes in disparities in substance use disorder telehealth utilization across payers and rurality, from 2019-2023. Features statistics including breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lauryn Saxe Walker, Manying Cui, Jonathan Cantor, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2459606
Date: 02/2025
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Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2025 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care, and Deteriorating Population Health Status, and presentation slides on this report from the 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care, and Deteriorating Population Health Status, and presentation slides on this report from the 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Trends in Travel Time to Obtain Surgical Care for Rural Patients
Research letter analyzing travel time to surgical care in rural areas between 2010 and 2020, utilizing Medicare Provider Analysis and Review data. Includes data comparing annual change by surgical procedure type among rural and nonrural beneficiaries.
Author(s): Cody Lendon Mullens, Reagan A. Collins, Nicholas Kunnath, Janice C. Probst, Andrew M. Ibrahim
Citation: JAMA
Date: 02/2025
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Research letter analyzing travel time to surgical care in rural areas between 2010 and 2020, utilizing Medicare Provider Analysis and Review data. Includes data comparing annual change by surgical procedure type among rural and nonrural beneficiaries.
Author(s): Cody Lendon Mullens, Reagan A. Collins, Nicholas Kunnath, Janice C. Probst, Andrew M. Ibrahim
Citation: JAMA
Date: 02/2025
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State Legislatures Moving to Increase Rural Health Care Access
Discusses policy measures and potential impacts on rural healthcare access at the state level related to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment, telehealth, and other financial supports for the rural health workforce.
Author(s): Lana McKinney
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Discusses policy measures and potential impacts on rural healthcare access at the state level related to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment, telehealth, and other financial supports for the rural health workforce.
Author(s): Lana McKinney
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Trends in Emergency Department, Primary Care, and Behavioral Health Use for Pediatric Mental Health Conditions in Virginia Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines the relationship between access to primary and behavioral care and pediatric emergency department (ED) visits. Utilizes 2016-2021 data from the Virginia All-Payers Claims Database to analyze pediatric ED visits, mental health ED visits, ED visits for suicidality, and 2016 versus 2021 ED visits by various sociodemographic factors, including rural location.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Gilbert, Bergen B. Nelson, Jacqueline Britz, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 54
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the relationship between access to primary and behavioral care and pediatric emergency department (ED) visits. Utilizes 2016-2021 data from the Virginia All-Payers Claims Database to analyze pediatric ED visits, mental health ED visits, ED visits for suicidality, and 2016 versus 2021 ED visits by various sociodemographic factors, including rural location.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Gilbert, Bergen B. Nelson, Jacqueline Britz, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 54
Date: 02/2025
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Exploring Access to Critical Health Services for Older Adults in Rural America from 1990 to 2020
Analyzes Area Health Resource Files to evaluate access to healthcare facilities and services between 1990 and 2020 using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Discusses healthcare access disparities between urban and rural areas and the growth of the older adult population in rural communities.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Bambury, Alexis A. Merdjanoff, Joshua T. Fergen, J. Tom Mueller
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70004
Date: 02/2025
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Analyzes Area Health Resource Files to evaluate access to healthcare facilities and services between 1990 and 2020 using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Discusses healthcare access disparities between urban and rural areas and the growth of the older adult population in rural communities.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Bambury, Alexis A. Merdjanoff, Joshua T. Fergen, J. Tom Mueller
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70004
Date: 02/2025
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Future Directions for Rural Population Research to Inform Extension: Listening Sessions Findings
A recorded webinar that discusses rural populations and issues important to them, such as food systems, community development, natural resources, healthcare access, disability services, and more. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): John J. Green, Katherine Curtis, Kristina Brant, Sreedhar Upendram, Paige Kelly
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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A recorded webinar that discusses rural populations and issues important to them, such as food systems, community development, natural resources, healthcare access, disability services, and more. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): John J. Green, Katherine Curtis, Kristina Brant, Sreedhar Upendram, Paige Kelly
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Barriers to Surgical Health Care Access in Rural Communities
Discusses surgical healthcare worker shortages in rural communities and strategies to recruit and retain future surgeons. Provides information on the subspeciality in rural areas and the importance of access to surgical care.
Author(s): Kimberly Miller-Hammond, David Anderson,
Citation: The American Surgeon, 91(5)
Date: 02/2025
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Discusses surgical healthcare worker shortages in rural communities and strategies to recruit and retain future surgeons. Provides information on the subspeciality in rural areas and the importance of access to surgical care.
Author(s): Kimberly Miller-Hammond, David Anderson,
Citation: The American Surgeon, 91(5)
Date: 02/2025
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What's Going on in Greater Minnesota? – Accessing Youth Mental Health in Rural Minnesota
A recorded webinar that discusses the research report, Youth Mental Health: Where Rural Families Can Find Help Now. Focuses on mental health needs of children in Minnesota and strategies to access care. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Marnie Werner
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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A recorded webinar that discusses the research report, Youth Mental Health: Where Rural Families Can Find Help Now. Focuses on mental health needs of children in Minnesota and strategies to access care. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Marnie Werner
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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