Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
"The Crux of the Community": A Qualitative Focus Group Study of the Impact of Community Pharmacy Closures in Colorado and Utah
Discusses themes identified in focus groups of pharmacy workforce that had experienced a community pharmacy closure in Colorado or Utah. Themes discussed include community impacts, pharmacy operations, job experience, and patient impact. Highlights rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Michael J. DiStefano, Nai-Chia Chen, Carl V. Asche, Kelly E. Anderson, T. Joseph Mattingly, II
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 66(1)
Date: 01/2026
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Discusses themes identified in focus groups of pharmacy workforce that had experienced a community pharmacy closure in Colorado or Utah. Themes discussed include community impacts, pharmacy operations, job experience, and patient impact. Highlights rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Michael J. DiStefano, Nai-Chia Chen, Carl V. Asche, Kelly E. Anderson, T. Joseph Mattingly, II
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 66(1)
Date: 01/2026
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Use of Preventive Services by Rurality, Disability Status, and Health Insurance
Examines rates of use of routine physicals and flu vaccination by rural or urban location, disability status, and health insurance type. Uses data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Katie Rydberg, Lisa I. Iezzoni, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Examines rates of use of routine physicals and flu vaccination by rural or urban location, disability status, and health insurance type. Uses data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Katie Rydberg, Lisa I. Iezzoni, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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January 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2026 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Discusses status reports on Medicare Part D, ambulatory surgical centers, and the Medicare Advantage program, as well as mandated reports on changes to the home health prospective payment system and dual-eligible special needs plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2026 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Discusses status reports on Medicare Part D, ambulatory surgical centers, and the Medicare Advantage program, as well as mandated reports on changes to the home health prospective payment system and dual-eligible special needs plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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An Overview of Public Health Services Among Local Health Departments in Rural Versus Urban Jurisdictions
Examines the services provided by rural and urban public health departments. Utilizes 2022 National Profile of Local Health Departments data to examine rural versus urban local health department (LHD) clinical programs and services, population health programs and services, and workforce infrastructure and capacity.
Author(s): Gwen Davis, Margaret Cunningham, Kellie Perkins, Krishna Patel, Timothy McCall
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
Date: 01/2026
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Examines the services provided by rural and urban public health departments. Utilizes 2022 National Profile of Local Health Departments data to examine rural versus urban local health department (LHD) clinical programs and services, population health programs and services, and workforce infrastructure and capacity.
Author(s): Gwen Davis, Margaret Cunningham, Kellie Perkins, Krishna Patel, Timothy McCall
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
Date: 01/2026
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Providing Accountable Care Organizations the Ability to Expand the Use of Telehealth: Report to Congress
Analyzes the telehealth use and spending among fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries assigned to accountable care organizations (ACOs). Compares the rate of telehealth use across ACO and non-ACO providers between 2020 and 2023, as well as across provider types, dual eligibility, HPSA-status of patient residence, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Analyzes the telehealth use and spending among fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries assigned to accountable care organizations (ACOs). Compares the rate of telehealth use across ACO and non-ACO providers between 2020 and 2023, as well as across provider types, dual eligibility, HPSA-status of patient residence, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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"It's a Last Straw Situation"; Overdose Response and Preferences for Seeking Support from Emergency Services During Overdose in Rural Ohio
Explores the perceptions and preferences of people in rural Ohio affected by the opioid epidemic about contacting first responders during an overdose. Bases findings on a survey of 43 rural people who have experienced or witnessed an overdose on the factors they considered when deciding whether or not to call 911.
Author(s): David C. Colston, Vivian F. Go, Clare Barrington, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(1), e0338689
Date: 01/2026
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Explores the perceptions and preferences of people in rural Ohio affected by the opioid epidemic about contacting first responders during an overdose. Bases findings on a survey of 43 rural people who have experienced or witnessed an overdose on the factors they considered when deciding whether or not to call 911.
Author(s): David C. Colston, Vivian F. Go, Clare Barrington, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(1), e0338689
Date: 01/2026
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The Power of Familiar Voices: Building HPV Vaccine Trust in Rural Communities
Discusses the role of trust among rural community members, healthcare professionals, and other community leaders in promoting HPV vaccination. Discusses churches, other faith-based settings, and other trusted institutions as sites for collaborations to increase vaccine uptake and address rural cancer disparities.
Author(s): Gabriel Benavidez
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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Discusses the role of trust among rural community members, healthcare professionals, and other community leaders in promoting HPV vaccination. Discusses churches, other faith-based settings, and other trusted institutions as sites for collaborations to increase vaccine uptake and address rural cancer disparities.
Author(s): Gabriel Benavidez
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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Supporting Rural Primary Care Practices in Delivering Care for Chronic Pain
Provides guidance on chronic pain care in rural primary care practices. Discusses best practices for delivering high-quality care in rural areas, including discussion of substance use disorder treatment and prevention, barriers to care delivery in rural practices, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Provides guidance on chronic pain care in rural primary care practices. Discusses best practices for delivering high-quality care in rural areas, including discussion of substance use disorder treatment and prevention, barriers to care delivery in rural practices, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Exploring the Use of Telemedicine to Expand Addiction and Recovery Resources in Great Plains Tribal Communities
Explores the use of telemedicine to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to patients in tribal communities. Explores the barriers and facilitators to implementing telemedicine-based MOUD services across the Great Plains Area of the Indian Health Service.
Author(s): Michael C. Harding, Anna C. Kihlstrom, Allison Kelliher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70113
Date: 01/2026
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Explores the use of telemedicine to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to patients in tribal communities. Explores the barriers and facilitators to implementing telemedicine-based MOUD services across the Great Plains Area of the Indian Health Service.
Author(s): Michael C. Harding, Anna C. Kihlstrom, Allison Kelliher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70113
Date: 01/2026
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Access to Health Care by Rurality and Disability Status
Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Ingrid Jacobson, Andrew Abram, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Ingrid Jacobson, Andrew Abram, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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