Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Telemedicine in Rural EMS: Expanding Capabilities and Scope
Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Evaluation of the Making Care Primary Model
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Explores model participation, participants' early implementation experiences, and the model's chances for meeting model expansion criteria related to cost and quality.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Explores model participation, participants' early implementation experiences, and the model's chances for meeting model expansion criteria related to cost and quality.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural-Urban Differences in Dental Care Utilization After a Public Health Emergency
Explores COVID-19-specific impacts on dental care access and utilization among rural and urban populations. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban status.
Author(s): Quazi Minhaz Tabassum, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Ahmed A. Arif
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Explores COVID-19-specific impacts on dental care access and utilization among rural and urban populations. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban status.
Author(s): Quazi Minhaz Tabassum, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Ahmed A. Arif
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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COVID-19 Antiviral Prescription Receipt Among Outpatients Aged ≥65 Years — United States, June 1, 2023–September 30, 2025
Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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'No Safe Level of Lead': How Mining Towns Are Reducing the Risk of Lead Exposure – And What Other Rural Communities Can Learn from Them
Highlights efforts in rural Idaho and Kansas to raise awareness of the dangers of lead exposure. Discusses health screenings and follow-up care, as well as outreach activities and educational materials.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Highlights efforts in rural Idaho and Kansas to raise awareness of the dangers of lead exposure. Discusses health screenings and follow-up care, as well as outreach activities and educational materials.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Strengthening California's Primary Care Team Workforce: Data and Recommendations for Action
Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Final Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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A Comparison of Independent and System-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Development of Metrics and a Protocol to Clinically Evaluate the HRSA Behavioral Health Integration Program Within the Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program
Describes a protocol and 27 common data elements for examining the implementation of behavioral health integration in primary care. Protocol and elements were developed from 26 participants in the Health Resources and Services Administration's Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Fred Ullrich, Kimberly A.S. Merchant, Christopher M. Shea, Marcia M. Ward
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Describes a protocol and 27 common data elements for examining the implementation of behavioral health integration in primary care. Protocol and elements were developed from 26 participants in the Health Resources and Services Administration's Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Fred Ullrich, Kimberly A.S. Merchant, Christopher M. Shea, Marcia M. Ward
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Visual Impairment and Blindness among Illinoisans, Metro vs. Nonmetro
Examines visual impairment in Illinois utilizing data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2024 Area Health Resources File. Provides data breakdowns of visual impairment prevalence by county as well as a comparison of metro versus nonmetro availability of optometrists and ophthalmologists.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines visual impairment in Illinois utilizing data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2024 Area Health Resources File. Provides data breakdowns of visual impairment prevalence by county as well as a comparison of metro versus nonmetro availability of optometrists and ophthalmologists.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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