Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare facilities
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Inpatient Prospective Payment System for FY 2026
Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Discusses proposals to update inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) payment rates, update wage index values and policies, modify the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), and remove the proposed health-equity adjustment from the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Discusses proposals to update inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) payment rates, update wage index values and policies, modify the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), and remove the proposed health-equity adjustment from the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Effects of Using Different Rural Measurements on Estimates of Hospitalizations for Depression and Substance Use
Explores how using different rural measurements can affect estimates of hospitalization rates for behavioral health conditions. Highlights how rural-urban commuting areas (RUCA) codes, core-based statistical areas (CBSA), urban-rural category four (URCategory4), and rural urban continuum codes (RUCC) affect hospitalization estimates. Discusses the consequences these difference can have on policy.
Author(s): Robin Danek, Justin Blackburn, Marion Greene, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 818
Date: 06/2025
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Explores how using different rural measurements can affect estimates of hospitalization rates for behavioral health conditions. Highlights how rural-urban commuting areas (RUCA) codes, core-based statistical areas (CBSA), urban-rural category four (URCategory4), and rural urban continuum codes (RUCC) affect hospitalization estimates. Discusses the consequences these difference can have on policy.
Author(s): Robin Danek, Justin Blackburn, Marion Greene, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 818
Date: 06/2025
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Organizational Factors Associated with Using Telehealth Services: Perspectives from Leaders of Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers
Research and policy brief examining organizational factors influencing telehealth use in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Summarizes interviews with RHC and FQHC key informants to discuss perceptions of telehealth, implementation challenges, operational challenges, and opportunities for innovation. Provides suggestions for policy and reimbursement approaches to improve telehealth provision and access.
Author(s): Constance van Eeghen, John A. Gale, Erika Ziller, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Telehealth Research Center
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Research and policy brief examining organizational factors influencing telehealth use in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Summarizes interviews with RHC and FQHC key informants to discuss perceptions of telehealth, implementation challenges, operational challenges, and opportunities for innovation. Provides suggestions for policy and reimbursement approaches to improve telehealth provision and access.
Author(s): Constance van Eeghen, John A. Gale, Erika Ziller, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Telehealth Research Center
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Bridging the Gap: Examples of Medicaid Innovation Enhancing Health Care Access in Rural America
Describes ways state Medicaid programs can improve access to rural healthcare. Highlights policies implemented in Tennessee, Missouri, and Georgia to fund projects related to improving rural healthcare needs, address social determinants of health, and support rural hospitals that serve large Medicaid and uninsured populations.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Medicaid Directors
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Describes ways state Medicaid programs can improve access to rural healthcare. Highlights policies implemented in Tennessee, Missouri, and Georgia to fund projects related to improving rural healthcare needs, address social determinants of health, and support rural hospitals that serve large Medicaid and uninsured populations.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Medicaid Directors
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Accelerating Better Health Outcomes in Rural America with Mindy Cook and Kallie Provost
Podcast episode discussing the American Heart Association's Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program and cardiovascular healthcare in rural hospitals. Profiles Cox Monett Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in southwest Missouri, and its adoption and implementation of two initiatives as part of the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Podcast episode discussing the American Heart Association's Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program and cardiovascular healthcare in rural hospitals. Profiles Cox Monett Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in southwest Missouri, and its adoption and implementation of two initiatives as part of the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Preventing Medical Debt among Rural Residents: Example Programs from Hospitals in Minnesota and Montana
Highlights the ways some rural hospitals are working to reduce medical debt for their patients. Presents a number of strategies from hospitals in Minnesota and Montana that aim to reduce patient medical debts through financial assistance programs and cost-cutting measures. Features case-studies reviewing the structure of each hospital's debt reduction efforts.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Sushma Shankar, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Highlights the ways some rural hospitals are working to reduce medical debt for their patients. Presents a number of strategies from hospitals in Minnesota and Montana that aim to reduce patient medical debts through financial assistance programs and cost-cutting measures. Features case-studies reviewing the structure of each hospital's debt reduction efforts.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Sushma Shankar, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Why Rural Hospitals May Have Some Advantages to Drive Tech Innovation
Discusses the traits of rural hospitals that favor technology innovation and offers suggestions that lead to continued advancements and efficiency.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses the traits of rural hospitals that favor technology innovation and offers suggestions that lead to continued advancements and efficiency.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Association of a State-Wide Alternative Payment Model for Rural Hospitals with Bypass for Elective Surgeries
Examines the impact of the payment model, Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), on rural hospital bypass for elective surgeries. Utilizes 2016-2022 all-payer visit-level inpatient discharge data to measure 175,138 surgeries in Pennsylvania, with data on risk level of elective surgery, hospital type, payer type, and more.
Author(s): Donald S. Bourne, Zhaojun Sun, Bruce L. Jacobs, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14442
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of the payment model, Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), on rural hospital bypass for elective surgeries. Utilizes 2016-2022 all-payer visit-level inpatient discharge data to measure 175,138 surgeries in Pennsylvania, with data on risk level of elective surgery, hospital type, payer type, and more.
Author(s): Donald S. Bourne, Zhaojun Sun, Bruce L. Jacobs, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14442
Date: 06/2025
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Associations Between Rural Hospital Closures and Acute and Post-Acute Care Access and Outcomes
Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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North Dakota Rural Health Clinics, 2025
Map of North Dakota showing Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and their locations.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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Map of North Dakota showing Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and their locations.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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