Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Promising Flex Program Initiatives to Support Critical Access Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reports on promising State Flex Program (SFP) strategies to support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and address priority needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights initiatives implemented by SFPs in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Discusses strategies regarding support for frontline staff, staff communication, communication to rural communities, clinical and service improvement, and CAH and Rural Health Clinic financial performance. Discusses ongoing considerations and concerns.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Sara Kahn-Troster, John Gale
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Reports on promising State Flex Program (SFP) strategies to support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and address priority needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights initiatives implemented by SFPs in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Discusses strategies regarding support for frontline staff, staff communication, communication to rural communities, clinical and service improvement, and CAH and Rural Health Clinic financial performance. Discusses ongoing considerations and concerns.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Sara Kahn-Troster, John Gale
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Graduate Medical Education: Programs and Residents Increased During Transition to Single Accreditor; Distribution Largely Unchanged
Examines the number of graduate medical education (GME) programs and the number of residents in GME programs between the 2014-2015 and 2019-2020 academic years. Describes changes in the number, specialty or subspecialty, and geographic distribution of GME programs and their residents.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the number of graduate medical education (GME) programs and the number of residents in GME programs between the 2014-2015 and 2019-2020 academic years. Describes changes in the number, specialty or subspecialty, and geographic distribution of GME programs and their residents.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Geographic Access to Health Care for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries in Five States: An Update
Describes the provider mix caring for rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries in Alaska, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington, using 2014 data. Examines the quality of care, number of annual visits, and the distances traveled for treatment of several conditions. Compares 2014 data with estimates from 1998, to assess the changes in geographical access to care. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural locations.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the provider mix caring for rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries in Alaska, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington, using 2014 data. Examines the quality of care, number of annual visits, and the distances traveled for treatment of several conditions. Compares 2014 data with estimates from 1998, to assess the changes in geographical access to care. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural locations.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural and Urban Hospital Characteristics by Obstetric Service Provision Status, 2010-2018
Illustrates the differences between urban and rural hospitals providing obstetric (OB) services. Compares them by size, capacity, location, and community characteristics, and compares these factors between rural hospitals with OB units and those that had discontinued services during the study period. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Additional links: Characteristics of Rural and Urban U.S. Hospitals Based on Obstetric Services
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Lindsay K. Admon, Mariana S. Tuttle, Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Illustrates the differences between urban and rural hospitals providing obstetric (OB) services. Compares them by size, capacity, location, and community characteristics, and compares these factors between rural hospitals with OB units and those that had discontinued services during the study period. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Additional links: Characteristics of Rural and Urban U.S. Hospitals Based on Obstetric Services
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Lindsay K. Admon, Mariana S. Tuttle, Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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States Work to Support Rural Hospitals Despite Pandemic Challenges
Blog post highlighting state-level policies to address and prevent rural hospital closures. Discusses proposals in state legislatures regarding alternative payment methodologies and funding, service delivery models, and the recruitment and retention of a rural healthcare workforce.
Author(s): Beth Giambrone
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Blog post highlighting state-level policies to address and prevent rural hospital closures. Discusses proposals in state legislatures regarding alternative payment methodologies and funding, service delivery models, and the recruitment and retention of a rural healthcare workforce.
Author(s): Beth Giambrone
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Strengthening Primary Care and Improving Population Health: Nebraska's Approach
Explores efforts to strengthen primary care in Nebraska through Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus program. Discusses the development of pilot programs and a partnership with a local nonprofit and the University of Nebraska College of Public Health.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Explores efforts to strengthen primary care in Nebraska through Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus program. Discusses the development of pilot programs and a partnership with a local nonprofit and the University of Nebraska College of Public Health.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Care Systems COVID-19 Impact Assessment: Lessons Learned and Compelling Needs
Explores the clinical and public health responses and experiences of hospitals and health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents policy actions and policy considerations to leverage the lessons of the pandemic to improve health system financing, infrastructure, and coordination. Includes information on challenges and priority areas for consideration for rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Jeffrey Balser, Jaewon Ryu, Michelle Hood, et al.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Explores the clinical and public health responses and experiences of hospitals and health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents policy actions and policy considerations to leverage the lessons of the pandemic to improve health system financing, infrastructure, and coordination. Includes information on challenges and priority areas for consideration for rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Jeffrey Balser, Jaewon Ryu, Michelle Hood, et al.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Texas Primary Care Office Needs Assessment, 2021
Reports on healthcare disparities, communities with unmet healthcare needs, and barriers to primary, mental, and dental healthcare access in Texas. Includes data and discussion of healthcare workforce shortages and shortage designations, Texas Primary Care Office programs and services, state demographics, and more. Mentions rural throughout, with pages 37-41 discussing rural-specific health outcomes and service availability challenges in depth.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Health and Human Services, Texas Primary Care Office
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Reports on healthcare disparities, communities with unmet healthcare needs, and barriers to primary, mental, and dental healthcare access in Texas. Includes data and discussion of healthcare workforce shortages and shortage designations, Texas Primary Care Office programs and services, state demographics, and more. Mentions rural throughout, with pages 37-41 discussing rural-specific health outcomes and service availability challenges in depth.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Health and Human Services, Texas Primary Care Office
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Predicting Hospital Choice for Rural Residents Seeking Elective Surgery
Webinar summarizing research on patient choice in elective surgery. Discusses the impact of patient choice on rural hospital financial viability, patient and hospital factors impacting choice, and opportunities for further research. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Webinar summarizing research on patient choice in elective surgery. Discusses the impact of patient choice on rural hospital financial viability, patient and hospital factors impacting choice, and opportunities for further research. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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March 2021 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2021 meeting. Features a discussion on rural Medicare beneficiaries' access to care. Also covers the skilled nursing facility value-based purchasing program and proposed replacement, streamlining CMS's portfolio of alternative payment models, balancing efficiency with equity in Medicare Advantage benchmark policy, and the relationship between clinician services and other Medicare services.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2021 meeting. Features a discussion on rural Medicare beneficiaries' access to care. Also covers the skilled nursing facility value-based purchasing program and proposed replacement, streamlining CMS's portfolio of alternative payment models, balancing efficiency with equity in Medicare Advantage benchmark policy, and the relationship between clinician services and other Medicare services.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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