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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

COVID-19 and Hospital Financial Viability in the US
Results of a study comparing operating and profit margins from 2016-2019 at 2,163 hospitals across the country to margins during the first year of the pandemic. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.
Author(s): Yang Wang, Ge Bai, Gerard Anderson
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(5)
Date: 05/2022
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Strategies for Rural Health Leaders' Success in a Post-COVID-19 World
Playbook for rural hospital leaders to approach COVID-19 response, vaccination, and related public health efforts. Discusses strategies for countering misinformation through partnerships with community institutions, conducting assessments of community vaccination needs, and communications and engagement. Features case studies of hospitals serving rural communities, and offers links to other tools and resources.
Additional links: Webinar: Rural Health Leaders on Strategies for Pandemic and Beyond
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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ARPA's Enhanced Premium Subsidies Provide Particularly Large Benefits to Residents of Rural Areas
Compares the differences between average Marketplace benchmark monthly premiums in urban and rural areas in each state in 2022. Discusses the impact of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expanded premium subsidies in rural areas.
Author(s): John Holahan, Erik Wengle, Claire O'Brien
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Rural Health Care Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities
Presents an overview of key findings from interviews with stakeholders in eight states - Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming - regarding the rural healthcare landscape. Discusses rural hospital financial health, rural hospital transformation models, challenges facing the rural healthcare workforce, and the role of telehealth in increasing access to care. Provides recommendations aimed at further advancing the use of virtual care in all communities, including rural and frontier areas, beyond the temporary federal COVID-19 public health emergency flexibilities.
Author(s): Sabah Bhatnagar, Julia Harris, Tara Hartnett, et al.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Haves and the Have-Nots: Disparities in Telehealth Availability in Rural Hospitals
Webinar presenting research on the association between telehealth and rural hospital finances. Compared rural hospitals that had no telehealth technology with those that did between 2009 and 2019. Evaluated both hospital characteristics such as payer mix and ownership as well as community characteristics such as age, poverty, and more. Discusses future plans to continue this research. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Evaluating Access to Pediatric Dental Care in the Southeast States
Analyzed 2019 American Community Survey data to evaluate dental care access for children in 10 southeastern states. Considers insurance type and rurality. Makes recommendations for policymakers considering interventions. Note the abstract to the publisher's final edited version of this article.
Author(s): Nicoleta Serban, Simin Ma, Katrine Pospichel, Lisha Yang
Citation: The Journal of the American Dental Association, 153(4), 330-341
Date: 04/2022
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Reach and Adoption of a Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program in the United States
Examines geriatric emergency departments receiving either Level 1, 2, or 3 Geriatric Emergency Department accreditation by March 1, 2021. Shows rural and urban locations of accredited facilities as well as their distribution compared to the U.S. population aged 65 and older. Lists care processes available at accredited facilities.
Author(s): Maura Kennedy, Adriane Lesser, Juhi Israni, et al.
Citation: Annals of Emergency Medicine: An International Journal 79(4), 367-373
Date: 04/2022
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Rural EMS: Taking the Next Step
Discusses funding, hiring, collaboration, and policy to support emergency medical services (EMS) in rural Minnesota. Utilizes Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) survey data and interview data to discuss issues related to EMS management and sustainability. Provides charts showing recruitment and training barriers in rural versus urban areas.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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The Role of Social Determinants of Health in Value-Based Payment Models During COVID-19: An Evolving Rural Perspective
Recording of an April 2022 webinar discussing how some rural health providers address social determinants of health in their communities and mitigate hardships associated with COVID-19. Highlights strategies using value-based payment models and collaboration with community partners. Transcript is available in the video description.
Author(s): Alana Knudson
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Rural Health Quality: How CMS Initiatives Improve How We Measure and Address Gaps in Care
Recording of an April 2022 webinar regarding healthcare quality measurement in rural areas. Discusses measurement challenges in rural areas and how CMS is working to mitigate these issues. Presents resources and programs for rural providers to improve healthcare quality. Transcript is available by clicking the three dots above the video description, then selecting Show Transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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