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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Training the Primary Care Workforce to Deliver Team-Based Care in Underserved Areas: The Teaching Health Center Program
Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Rural Training in Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowships
Highlights a study on access to rural-focused family medicine obstetrics (FM OB) fellowships for family medicine residency graduates. Explores the availability of rural-specific FM OB fellowships and the challenges programs face in providing rurally-oriented training to family medicine physicians. Breaks down data by fellowship type, training curriculum, and rurality of location, among other measures.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers and Facilitators to Drug Treatment Services among People Who Inject Drugs in West Virginia
Examines the ability of people who inject drugs (PWID) to access treatment options in rural West Virginia. Analyzes 2018 interviews with PWID regarding barriers and facilitators to treatment, such as dismissal from treatment services, need for comprehensive services and financial support, withdrawal symptoms, medications for opioid use disorder, and more.
Author(s): Abigail K. Winiker, Kristin E. Schneider, Rebecca Hamilton White, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 20, 69
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Rural Healthy People 2030: New Decade, New Challenges
Examines survey of 1,475 rural stakeholders about their priorities from the Healthy People 2030 initiative to develop Rural Healthy People 2030. Data include tables ranking responses including mental health, healthcare access, substance misuse, economic stability, and more. Discusses how priorities have shifted from Rural Healthy People 2010 and Rural Healthy People 2020.
Author(s): Timothy Callaghan, Morgan Kassabian, Natasha Johnson, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 33(2023), 1-6
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Rural/Urban Differences in Access to Paid Sick Leave Among Full-Time Workers
Features a study on the accessibility of paid sick leave for full-time workers in rural and urban areas. Discusses the negative health outcomes of lacking paid sick leave. Highlights correlative factors, such as educational attainment, age, race, and chronic conditions, among others.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Janette Dill, Arianne Baldomero, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 676-685
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Policy Recommendations for Improving Rural Cancer Services in the United States
Discusses cancer healthcare access for rural residents and factors in access challenges. Discusses rural physician recruitment, facility closures, reimbursement, data gathering, and graduate medical education. Offers policy recommendations for incentivizing and increasing the rural cancer care workforce as well as gathering cancer-related data.
Author(s): Adrienne B. Lent, Daniel Derksen, Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Leila Barraza, Elizabeth A. Calhoun
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 19(5), 288-294
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Improving Access to Risk Appropriate Care and Maternal Health Outcomes through Provider Engagement
A podcast episode that discusses maternal mortality rates in the United States and strategies to improve access to and quality of maternal healthcare. Includes examples of how to engage providers in efforts to improve maternal healthcare equity in underserved and rural communities.
Author(s): Robert Johnson, Eugene C. Toy, Lily Lou
Date: 05/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Emergency Department Preparedness to Care for Sexual Assault Survivors: A Nationwide Study
Surveys 315 sexual assault (SA) advocates to determine emergency department staff preparedness and available resources for SA survivors. Discusses rural and urban access to sexual assault nurse examiners and implications for quality of care.
Author(s): Kristen Chalmers, Meredith Hollender, Liam Spurr, et al.
Citation: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, 24(3)
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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State Medicaid Telehealth Coverage Policy Decisions Since the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Describes changes to state Medicaid telehealth policy flexibilities and/or new policies enacted during the COVID-19 PHE as of April–May 2022. Focuses on flexibilities that were rolled back, as well as those made permanent in whole or in part. Examines the decision-making processes behind Medicaid telehealth policy changes. Summarizes findings from guided discussions with state Medicaid representatives across four domains: 1) state attitudes and perspectives on telehealth and telehealth policies; 2) state telehealth policy decision-making processes; 3) states' future plans for telehealth; and 4) challenges and lessons learned. Outlines potential opportunities for the future of telehealth. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Peggy G. Chen, Sara E. Heins, Stephanie Dellva
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Rural Health Challenges and Opportunities
Presentation slides discussing rural health challenges, including access and affordability, poor health, and underlying factors driving the stress on rural health systems. Outlines policy opportunities to improve affordability and create incentives for improved health.
Author(s): Timothy McBride
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy and Economics Research, RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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