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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health information technology

NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Science: Involving Rural America in Research
Features translational science teams in Arkansas, Florida, and Washington that are helping ensure new scientific findings are being used in rural communities to help patients. Discusses community engagement, the role of the electronic health record in data sharing, and collaboration with cooperative extension.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances among Office-Based Physicians, 2017
Examines rates of electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS), with information by type of physician practice, including rural or urban location, practice size, practice ownership, physician specialty, and technology available. EPCS is mandated for Medicare Part D providers by 2021, through the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act.
Author(s): Sonal Parasrampuria, Martin Blanco, Wesley Barker
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Indian Health Service Human-Centered Design
Examines the requirements of a next-generation health information technology (HIT) system at the Indian Health Services (IHS), including interoperability, electronic health records, and telehealth capabilities, among others. Presents service blueprints and use cases that can be field-tested and evaluated. Publication is free to access after providing an email address.
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: &Partners, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Use of a Personal Health Record by Veterans Living with HIV
Explores a study on the social and demographic characteristics of veterans with HIV who use My HealtheVet, a web-based personal health record system. Looks at age, race, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Sarah J Javier, Lara K Troszak, Stephanie L Shimada, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 26(8-9), 696–702
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
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IHS Needs to Improve Oversight of Its Hospitals' Opioid Prescribing and Dispensing Practices and Consider Centralizing Its Information Technology Functions
Reports on a review of Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals with a focus on opioid prescriptions and dispensing, information technology (IT), and cybersecurity. Identifies deficiencies related to opioid policies and procedures and supports centralizing IHS IT systems.
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Level of Agreement on Health Information Technology Adoption and Use in Survey Data: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Ambulatory Clinics in 1 US State
Results of a study using 2016 data from 2 surveys of ambulatory providers in Minnesota, related to health information technology functionalities. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Robert S. Rudin, Yunfeng Shi, Shira H. Fischer, et al.
Citation: JAMIA Open, 2(2), 231-237
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
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HELP Committee Executive Session: S. 1199, S. 1173, and S.1895
Congressional hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions (HELP) Committee focused on: the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2019, and Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019. Focuses on ending surprise medical billing, creating price transparency, increasing prescription drug competition, improving public health, and improving health information exchange. Legislation would extend funding for community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program. Addresses rural throughout.
Date: 06/2019
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Infectious Diseases Society of America Position Statement on Telehealth and Telemedicine as Applied to the Practice of Infectious Diseases
Position statement to educate members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America on telehealth and to promote use of this technology in clinical care, research, and education. Explores the potential to increase access to subspecialist care in rural areas, and describes reimbursement policies of private insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid, for telehealth services provided to patients in rural areas. Also describes HIPAA requirements for telehealth interactions and protected health information.
Author(s): Jeremy D. Young, Rima Abdel-Massih, Thomas Herchline, et al.
Citation: Clinical Infectious Diseases, 68(9), 1437-1443
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
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Trends in Individuals' Access, Viewing and Use of Online Medical Records and Other Technology for Health Needs: 2017-2018
Examines the use of online medical records by individuals. Addresses how frequently they access them, why they access them or don't access them, and who accesses them. Contains breakdowns by health insurance coverage, gender, income level, rural/urban location, and more. Includes information on use of health and wellness apps.
Author(s): Vaishali Patel, Christian Johnson
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Implementing the 21st Century Cures Act: Making Electronic Health Information Available to Patients and Providers, Part II
A recording of a hearing from the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act, which is intended to improve interoperability of electronic health records. Addresses requirements that would impact healthcare facilities, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. Offers testimony from the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Center for Clinical Standards and Quality.
Additional links: Kate Goodrich Testimony
Date: 05/2019
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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