Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Telemedicine Utilization Report: Telehealth and Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines the use of telemedicine to deliver Medicaid-covered services in the state of Minnesota. Describes state and federal telehealth policy waivers and modifications that were temporarily implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses telehealth use by and special considerations for rural populations.
Author(s): Neerja Singh, Julie Marquardt
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Human Services
view details
Re-imagining Leadership: A Pathway for Rural Health to Thrive in a COVID-19 World
A COVID-19 emergency response playbook for rural healthcare delivery systems. Designed to build rural hospital and primary care leadership capacities around strategic thinking and local problem solving. Distills insights from rural hospital administrators, clinicians, and public health experts. Includes an assessment tool to help rural communities examine governance and leadership, community engagement, financial health, clinical care, and emergency preparedness and resilience.
Author(s): Lauren S. Hughes, Benjamin D. Anderson, Darlene B. Tad-y, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Tool
Sponsoring organizations: Colorado Hospital Association, Eugene S. Farley, Jr. Health Policy Center
view details
Synergistic Disparities and Public Health Mitigation of COVID-19 in the Rural United States
Describes how public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic emphasize racial, economic, and geographic disparities, especially among rural and poor populations. Covers public health mitigation measures, including disease surveillance, physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, and public health communication. Discusses the ethical demands of public health practice during and following a public health emergency.
Author(s): Kata Chillag, Lisa Lee
Citation: Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 17(4), 649-656
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
view details
Informing Health Care Workforce Policy by Leveraging Data: A Toolkit for States
Describes how healthcare workforce data can be used to address questions regarding access to care. Discusses three key considerations for states to improve their healthcare workforce data collection practices. Includes examples from states that utilized data to inform policy.
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
view details
Health Care Delivery System Reform: Six Policy Imperatives
Presents six recommendations for healthcare delivery system reform in order to improve quality, advance equity, and increase the affordability of healthcare in the United States. Includes specific policy recommendations for small and rural providers throughout.
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
view details
Puerto Rico Electricity: FEMA and HUD Have Not Approved Long-Term Projects and Need to Implement Recommendations to Address Uncertainties and Enhance Resilience
Report evaluates the response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the damage to Puerto Rico's infrastructure in the three years since hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria hit the island. Bases evaluation on the agencies' response to previous recommendations made by GAO. Discusses the current state of Puerto Rico's electrical grid across the island, including in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Framework for a Community Health Observing System for the Gulf of Mexico Region: Preparing for Future Disasters
Outlines a system for monitoring community health during potential disasters in the Gulf of Mexico region. Details the a framework for collecting and organizing data, and discusses considerations in assessing the disparities between rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Paul Sandifer, Landon Knapp, Maureen Lichtveld, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 578463
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
view details
Supporting CAHs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Summary Results of a Survey of State Flex Coordinators
Summarizes key findings from a survey of State Flex Programs regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) between May 26 - July 2, 2020. Describes the type of support and assistance requested by CAHs, promising strategies State Flex Programs used to support CAHs, and how State Flex Programs are planning for CAH needs after the pandemic.
Author(s): John Gale, Zacharia Croll, Yvonne Jonk, Sara Kahn-Troster, Karen Pearson
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
September 2020 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2020 meeting. Covers the coronavirus pandemic and Medicare, the context for Medicare payment policy, a mandated report on the skilled nursing facility value-based purchasing program, a mandated report on the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014's changes to the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule, and a Congressional request on private equity and Medicare. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Cibola General Hospital Pushes Forward
Describes Cibola General Hospital's (CGH) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project. CGH is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Grants, New Mexico. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CGH, including the development of telehealth services.
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
view details