Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Improving Health Care Access in Rural Communities: Obstacles and Opportunities
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care hearing on improving access to high-quality, affordable healthcare in rural communities. Discusses workforce issues, education pipeline, transportation, broadband, school-based health centers, payment models and value-based care, and rural-friendly policies. Features testimonies from representatives of Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Choptank Community Health System, Essentia Health, and the Sheps Center For Health Services Research.
Additional links: Testimony by David Herman, Testimony by Erin Aune, Testimony by Mark Holmes, Testimony by Sara Rich
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care
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Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care hearing on improving access to high-quality, affordable healthcare in rural communities. Discusses workforce issues, education pipeline, transportation, broadband, school-based health centers, payment models and value-based care, and rural-friendly policies. Features testimonies from representatives of Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Choptank Community Health System, Essentia Health, and the Sheps Center For Health Services Research.
Additional links: Testimony by David Herman, Testimony by Erin Aune, Testimony by Mark Holmes, Testimony by Sara Rich
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care
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Health Care Capsule: Accessing Health Care in Rural America
Discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. Provides policy recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address rural healthcare disparities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. Provides policy recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address rural healthcare disparities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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2022 Transportation Trends
Identifies trends and issues affecting the availability of accessible transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. Summarizes results of a September 2022 survey of public transit and human services transportation providers; stakeholders; and aging and disability organizations such as Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living and Aging and Disability Resource Centers. Discusses nine themes related to the challenges of providing transportation to older adults, younger adults with disabilities, and caregivers, including the lack of transportation options in rural areas.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Identifies trends and issues affecting the availability of accessible transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. Summarizes results of a September 2022 survey of public transit and human services transportation providers; stakeholders; and aging and disability organizations such as Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living and Aging and Disability Resource Centers. Discusses nine themes related to the challenges of providing transportation to older adults, younger adults with disabilities, and caregivers, including the lack of transportation options in rural areas.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Health Conditions and Health Care Use Among American Indian and Alaska Native Adults by Tribal Land Residential Status: United States, 2019–2021
Examines chronic disease, healthcare access to basic services such as vaccinations, and mental health among American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) from 2019-2021 National Health Interview Survey data, with comparisons between living on or off tribal lands.
Author(s): Amanda E. Ng, Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, Anjel Vahratian
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examines chronic disease, healthcare access to basic services such as vaccinations, and mental health among American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) from 2019-2021 National Health Interview Survey data, with comparisons between living on or off tribal lands.
Author(s): Amanda E. Ng, Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, Anjel Vahratian
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Barriers to Mental Health Care: Improving Provider Directory Accuracy to Reduce the Prevalence of Ghost Networks
Recording of a May 3, 2023, hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding inaccurate healthcare provider directories that impede access to mental healthcare. Features testimony from Robert L. Trestman, Professor and Chair of Behavioral Medicine at the Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, on access to care in rural Virginia.
Additional links: Robert L. Trestman, American Psychiatric Association - Testimony
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Recording of a May 3, 2023, hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding inaccurate healthcare provider directories that impede access to mental healthcare. Features testimony from Robert L. Trestman, Professor and Chair of Behavioral Medicine at the Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, on access to care in rural Virginia.
Additional links: Robert L. Trestman, American Psychiatric Association - Testimony
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Map the Meal Gap 2023: A Report on County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2021
Provides information on food insecurity in the United States, focusing on how race and ethnicity impact access to food. Includes county-level U.S. maps that show food insecurity by race and ethnicity as well as impacts for children and the overall U.S. population. Includes discussions about food insecurity in rural counties.
Additional links: Technical Appendix
Author(s): Monica Hake, Emily Engelhard, Adam Dewey
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Feeding America
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Provides information on food insecurity in the United States, focusing on how race and ethnicity impact access to food. Includes county-level U.S. maps that show food insecurity by race and ethnicity as well as impacts for children and the overall U.S. population. Includes discussions about food insecurity in rural counties.
Additional links: Technical Appendix
Author(s): Monica Hake, Emily Engelhard, Adam Dewey
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Feeding America
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Access to Maternity Providers: Midwives and Birth Centers
Provides an overview of the role of certified nurse-midwives and birth centers in Medicaid and how beneficiaries use these services. Describes policy issues and barriers to expanding access to midwives and birth centers, including payment policies; contracting with managed care organizations; licensure, certification, and accreditation; scope of practice; and limited supply. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of the role of certified nurse-midwives and birth centers in Medicaid and how beneficiaries use these services. Describes policy issues and barriers to expanding access to midwives and birth centers, including payment policies; contracting with managed care organizations; licensure, certification, and accreditation; scope of practice; and limited supply. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Association of Receipt of Opioid Use Disorder-Related Telehealth Services and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder with Fatal Drug Overdoses among Medicare Beneficiaries Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reports on a study to determine the benefits of expanding opioid use disorder (OUD) related telehealth services and remote prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the number of fatalities due to drug overdose. Examines clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with OUD by analyzing data on sex, age, county rural and urban status, death rates, disability, mental health diagnosis, chronic conditions, and other substance use disorders (SUDs).
Author(s): Christopher M. Jones, Carla Shoff, Carlos Blanco, et al.
Citation: JAMA Psychiatry, 80(5), 508–514
Date: 05/2023
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Reports on a study to determine the benefits of expanding opioid use disorder (OUD) related telehealth services and remote prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the number of fatalities due to drug overdose. Examines clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with OUD by analyzing data on sex, age, county rural and urban status, death rates, disability, mental health diagnosis, chronic conditions, and other substance use disorders (SUDs).
Author(s): Christopher M. Jones, Carla Shoff, Carlos Blanco, et al.
Citation: JAMA Psychiatry, 80(5), 508–514
Date: 05/2023
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Sparta Community Hospital Spotlight
Describes how the Sparta Community Hospital worked to identify the social determinants of health in its community. Discusses the addition of a mobile clinic to increase access to primary care, address barriers, and advance health equity. Transcript available below description.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Describes how the Sparta Community Hospital worked to identify the social determinants of health in its community. Discusses the addition of a mobile clinic to increase access to primary care, address barriers, and advance health equity. Transcript available below description.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Challenges and Recommendations for Improving Access to Evidence-Based COPD Management among Rural Veterans: Rural Primary Care Provider Perspectives
Highlights a study on the perspectives of primary care providers serving rural veterans on the challenges of providing evidence-based COPD management care in rural communities. Details key barriers and makes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Talitha Wilson, R. Adams Dudley, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38, 2843-2845
Date: 04/2023
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Highlights a study on the perspectives of primary care providers serving rural veterans on the challenges of providing evidence-based COPD management care in rural communities. Details key barriers and makes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Talitha Wilson, R. Adams Dudley, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38, 2843-2845
Date: 04/2023
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