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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

An REH Conversion Story: Harper County Hospital
Profiles Oklahoma's Harper County Hospital and its transition from a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Summarizes an interview with Kevin O'Brien, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Harper County Hospital, regarding the experience of converting to REH status. Covers the hospital's financial position before conversion, including limitations to being a county-owned hospital; the exploration of the REH designation; and the financial and operational impacts of the REH designation, including services added by the hospital after the conversion.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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An REH Conversion Story: Mercy Hospital
Profiles Mercy Hospital, in Moundridge, Kansas, and its transition from a prospective payment system (PPS) hospital to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Summarizes an interview with Aaron Herbel, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mercy Hospital, regarding the experience of converting to REH status. Covers the conversion timeline, the involvement of hospital and community stakeholders, and the opening of a walk-in clinic that coincided with the REH conversion.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Tracey Dorff, Anna Anna, Janice Walters
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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An REH Conversion Story: Helena Regional Medical Center
Profiles Helena Regional Medical Center, in Phillips County, Arkansas, and its transition from a prospective payment system (PPS) hospital to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Summarizes the perspective of the hospital's former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as the facility navigated the change in status, including obstacles, financial and operational impacts, and advantages to operating as an REH.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Tracey Dorff, Anna Anna, Janice Walters
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Expanding America's Bandwidth: Gaps in Rural and Underserved Communities
Discusses the availability of broadband, devices, and digital skills and their impact on communities. Describes barriers to connectivity across rural and underserved areas and the federal funding programs designated for infrastructure development and internet adoption.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
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Veterans in Focus: Disability and Veterans in Rural America
Fact sheet highlighting 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates related to rural disabled veterans. Includes data on service-connected disability, geography including rural and urban comparisons, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare facilities. Discusses opportunities for Centers for Independent Living.
Author(s): Hannah W. Pepprock, Lillie Greiman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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The State of Mental Health in America
Report presents data on mental health and substance use for youth and adults across all 50 states. Highlights barriers to mental health wellness, such as lack of mental healthcare coverage, mental health workforce shortages, and cost of treatment, among other factors. Discusses some challenges specific to rural communities.
Author(s): Maddy Reinert, Danielle Fritze, Theresa Nguyen
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
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Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program: Report to Congress, 2023
Provides an overview of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration. Describes changes in the quality of care during the first four years of the demonstration for states with available quality measures, as well as quality bonus payments states made to CCBHCs based on quality measure performance. Builds on findings on demonstration implementation, quality improvement, and costs outlined in previous evaluation reports, focusing on data collected since spring 2022.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica, RAND Corporation
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2024 National Telehealth Conference Summary Report
Offers a summary of the 2024 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Telehealth Conference by conference session. Covers increasing access to tele-behavioral healthcare through interstate licensure, expanding access to telehealth services, and federal efforts for telehealth policy and innovation. Appendices include conference materials and resources.
Additional links: 2024 National Telehealth Conference Session Recordings
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Rural-Urban Mild Cognitive Impairment Comparison in West Michigan Through EHR
Analyzed electronic health record data for 1,528,464 patients to highlight rural and urban differences in mild cognitive impairment incidence, risk factors, and healthcare access in West Michigan. Discusses implications of study findings on dementia diagnosis, access to specialists, and more.
Author(s): Xiaodan Zhang, Martin Witteveen-Lane, Christine Skovira, et al.
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 10(3),e12495
Date: 07/2024
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Report to Congress: Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis in the United States: An Update from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Reports on efforts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve maternal health outcomes, including programs related to care delivery, access to care, and social factors influencing health. Presents data and discussion of maternal health trends, identifies key drivers, highlights relevant HHS programs and actions, and presents a framework to measure progress. Details rural access and outcome disparities and features rural-focused programs.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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