Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare facilities
VA Health Care: The Medically Underserved Facilities Initiative
Describes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medically underserved facilities initiative, which identifies medical facilities that were underserved for primary care and mental health services in 2022. Describes the criteria VA has used to identify medically underserved facilities and which facilities are designated as underserved and what officials from the designated underserved facilities reported about their experiences with the initiative. Explores what VA information shows about the effectiveness of the initiative. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Describes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medically underserved facilities initiative, which identifies medical facilities that were underserved for primary care and mental health services in 2022. Describes the criteria VA has used to identify medically underserved facilities and which facilities are designated as underserved and what officials from the designated underserved facilities reported about their experiences with the initiative. Explores what VA information shows about the effectiveness of the initiative. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
A National Staffing Emergency in Rural Health Care
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with three rural hospital executives from Colorado, Wisconsin, and Michigan regarding workforce shortages in rural hospitals. Describes factors driving workforce challenges; recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies; approaches to introducing healthcare careers to youth and the community; and the role of technology in meeting healthcare needs.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with three rural hospital executives from Colorado, Wisconsin, and Michigan regarding workforce shortages in rural hospitals. Describes factors driving workforce challenges; recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies; approaches to introducing healthcare careers to youth and the community; and the role of technology in meeting healthcare needs.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
2023 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Addresses access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, effective treatment, healthy living, and care affordability. Focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare and healthcare systems.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
view details
Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Addresses access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, effective treatment, healthy living, and care affordability. Focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare and healthcare systems.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
view details
Prioritizing Primary Care: Twenty-first Annual Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress
Offers policy and program development recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress regarding primary care training and education. Reviews the historical development of accelerated pathway programs for clinicians, physician assistants, and dentists, and program outcomes. Explores challenges related to securing an adequate number of clinical training sites, as well as recommendations to address this shortage. Outlines recommendations to support the training of more primary care clinicians who practice in underserved communities.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
view details
Offers policy and program development recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress regarding primary care training and education. Reviews the historical development of accelerated pathway programs for clinicians, physician assistants, and dentists, and program outcomes. Explores challenges related to securing an adequate number of clinical training sites, as well as recommendations to address this shortage. Outlines recommendations to support the training of more primary care clinicians who practice in underserved communities.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
view details
Housing Shortages Are Making Recruitment and Retention Even More Challenging for Some Rural Healthcare Providers
Provides an overview of rural housing shortages and affordability concerns. Explains the impact of housing issues on the rural healthcare workforce. Features a housing development program involving a Critical Access Hospital in Colorado and an Oregon hotel conversion that combines units for healthcare workers and supportive housing.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Provides an overview of rural housing shortages and affordability concerns. Explains the impact of housing issues on the rural healthcare workforce. Features a housing development program involving a Critical Access Hospital in Colorado and an Oregon hotel conversion that combines units for healthcare workers and supportive housing.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
CMS Final Rules Overview - Impact for RHCs Beginning January 1, 2024
Recording of a December 11, 2023, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2024. Covers new billable providers for RHCs, changes to care management services and billing, telehealth regulations, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a December 11, 2023, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2024. Covers new billable providers for RHCs, changes to care management services and billing, telehealth regulations, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Cybersecurity Lockdown
Recording of a December 6, 2023, webinar on cybersecurity threats and attacks. Discusses who is after healthcare data, why providers have a professional responsibility to address these threats proactively, and what providers can do today to limit their impact. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a December 6, 2023, webinar on cybersecurity threats and attacks. Discusses who is after healthcare data, why providers have a professional responsibility to address these threats proactively, and what providers can do today to limit their impact. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Hospitals' Electronic Access to Information Needed to Treat COVID-19
Explores acute care hospitals' ability to access electronic access to information necessary to treat COVID-19 patients in 2021. Examines differences in information availability by hospital characteristics, including rurality and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status, and engagement in interoperable exchange.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel
Citation: JAMIA Open, 6(4)
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
view details
Explores acute care hospitals' ability to access electronic access to information necessary to treat COVID-19 patients in 2021. Examines differences in information availability by hospital characteristics, including rurality and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status, and engagement in interoperable exchange.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel
Citation: JAMIA Open, 6(4)
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
view details
National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) Hospital Cost Tool
Interactive tool providing information on how much hospitals spend on patient care services, how costs relate to the hospital charges, and actual prices paid by health plans. Presents data on a range of measures for hospital revenue, costs, profitability, and break-even points for over 5,000 hospitals nationwide between 2011 and 2022. Includes the ability to view and compare hospital financial metrics at the hospital, state, and health system levels.
Additional links: Hospital Cost Tool and Resources
Date: 12/2023
Type: Tool
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
view details
Interactive tool providing information on how much hospitals spend on patient care services, how costs relate to the hospital charges, and actual prices paid by health plans. Presents data on a range of measures for hospital revenue, costs, profitability, and break-even points for over 5,000 hospitals nationwide between 2011 and 2022. Includes the ability to view and compare hospital financial metrics at the hospital, state, and health system levels.
Additional links: Hospital Cost Tool and Resources
Date: 12/2023
Type: Tool
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
view details
Health Panel Comment Letter - Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Proposed Rule
Comments offered in response to a September 6, 2023, proposed rule regarding minimum nurse staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Discusses considerations for the implementation timeline and including licensed practical nurses in the proposed staffing ratios and standards, the definition of rural utilized in the proposed rule to identify rural facilities, and conditions for hardship exemption eligibility.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
view details
Comments offered in response to a September 6, 2023, proposed rule regarding minimum nurse staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Discusses considerations for the implementation timeline and including licensed practical nurses in the proposed staffing ratios and standards, the definition of rural utilized in the proposed rule to identify rural facilities, and conditions for hardship exemption eligibility.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
view details