Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Rural Hospitals: Policy and Infrastructure Opportunities in the Rural Health Transformation Program
Describes state Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) initiatives and investments intended to support rural hospital stability. Covers policies to stabilize rural hospitals through operational modernization, shared services, and targeted technical assistance; regionalization and hub-and-spoke care models; care delivery transformation; maternal and perinatal healthcare access; health information technology advances and interoperability; and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Describes state Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) initiatives and investments intended to support rural hospital stability. Covers policies to stabilize rural hospitals through operational modernization, shared services, and targeted technical assistance; regionalization and hub-and-spoke care models; care delivery transformation; maternal and perinatal healthcare access; health information technology advances and interoperability; and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Public Agency Health Center Monograph
Describes the programmatic requirements related to public agency health centers operating within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program. Covers key HRSA requirements, governance expectations, co-applicant board responsibilities, fiscal and personnel considerations, and common compliance challenges.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Describes the programmatic requirements related to public agency health centers operating within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program. Covers key HRSA requirements, governance expectations, co-applicant board responsibilities, fiscal and personnel considerations, and common compliance challenges.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Investigating the Role of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in Reducing Sideswipe Collisions in Rural Ohio
Examines the efficacy of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in preventing severe sideswipe crashes on rural roads. Utilizes 2017-2023 data from 49 rural Ohio counties to analyze sideswipe crashes according to severity, driver demographics, ADAS operations, and driving conditions. Discusses the impact of ADAS in variable driving situations to prevent sideswipe crashes and related injuries and fatalities in rural communities.
Author(s): Abdul Ngereza, Boniphace Kutela, Ibrahim Ibrahim, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 98, 599-611
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the efficacy of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in preventing severe sideswipe crashes on rural roads. Utilizes 2017-2023 data from 49 rural Ohio counties to analyze sideswipe crashes according to severity, driver demographics, ADAS operations, and driving conditions. Discusses the impact of ADAS in variable driving situations to prevent sideswipe crashes and related injuries and fatalities in rural communities.
Author(s): Abdul Ngereza, Boniphace Kutela, Ibrahim Ibrahim, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 98, 599-611
Date: 09/2026
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From Innovation to Implementation: Replicable Community-Based Care Models for Aging in Place
Offers 6 domains influencing feasibility, sustainability, and adaptability for community-based long-term care models, drawn from more than 60 programs. Includes analysis of 3 of those programs including 1 rural North Dakota program. More rural programs are highlighted in Table 3.
Author(s): Brendan Flinn, Cleanthe (Cleo) Kordomenos, Giselle Torralba, Alondra Janicek, Tyler Cromer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Offers 6 domains influencing feasibility, sustainability, and adaptability for community-based long-term care models, drawn from more than 60 programs. Includes analysis of 3 of those programs including 1 rural North Dakota program. More rural programs are highlighted in Table 3.
Author(s): Brendan Flinn, Cleanthe (Cleo) Kordomenos, Giselle Torralba, Alondra Janicek, Tyler Cromer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Cancer Survival Differences Between Rural and Urban Populations During the Opioid Epidemic: A SEER Analysis
Explores how rural and urban cancer survival changed over time during the U.S. opioid epidemic, and how rural cancer survival disparities were associated with increasing drug mortality during the same period. Utilizes 2000-2016 SEER and CDC WONDER data.
Author(s): Martin G. Bouldo, Daniel J. Becker
Citation: Anticancer Research, 46(9), 4973-4984
Date: 09/2026
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Explores how rural and urban cancer survival changed over time during the U.S. opioid epidemic, and how rural cancer survival disparities were associated with increasing drug mortality during the same period. Utilizes 2000-2016 SEER and CDC WONDER data.
Author(s): Martin G. Bouldo, Daniel J. Becker
Citation: Anticancer Research, 46(9), 4973-4984
Date: 09/2026
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Outpatient Care Fragmentation and Patient Satisfaction With Care
Examines the relationship between outpatient care fragmentation and Medicare patient satisfaction. Utilizes 2020-2022 survey data from 2,294 Medicare beneficiaries to analyze physician and practice-level fragmentation alongside patient satisfaction, measured by perceived accessibility, communication, coordination, and quality as experienced by rural, suburban, and urban Medicare populations.
Author(s): Isabella Ratto, Neelam Ahmed, Mengyuan Chen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70220
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the relationship between outpatient care fragmentation and Medicare patient satisfaction. Utilizes 2020-2022 survey data from 2,294 Medicare beneficiaries to analyze physician and practice-level fragmentation alongside patient satisfaction, measured by perceived accessibility, communication, coordination, and quality as experienced by rural, suburban, and urban Medicare populations.
Author(s): Isabella Ratto, Neelam Ahmed, Mengyuan Chen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70220
Date: 09/2026
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Improving Trauma Stabilization Training for Rural Family Medicine Residents
Presents data from the first 3 years of the Trauma and Emergency Medicine Track, developed in 2019 as a partnership among Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, Oregon; trauma surgeons; and Cascades East Family Medicine. The program prepares rural medical residents to lead trauma care, provides opportunities to perform trauma-specific procedures, and improves residents' comfort level with trauma stabilization.
Author(s): Christine Maisano, Patricia A. Carney, Margaret Jolley, Joel Klas
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(8), 577-581
Date: 09/2026
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Presents data from the first 3 years of the Trauma and Emergency Medicine Track, developed in 2019 as a partnership among Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, Oregon; trauma surgeons; and Cascades East Family Medicine. The program prepares rural medical residents to lead trauma care, provides opportunities to perform trauma-specific procedures, and improves residents' comfort level with trauma stabilization.
Author(s): Christine Maisano, Patricia A. Carney, Margaret Jolley, Joel Klas
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(8), 577-581
Date: 09/2026
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Risk Factors for Loss of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural and Urban Hospitals
Examines factors associated with loss of obstetric services in hospitals. Analyzes 3,108 rural and urban hospitals in 2010 and then again in 2023 to observe rates of unit or hospital closure. Includes breakdown of hospital characteristics such as distance to nearest obstetric hospital, birth volume, hospital ownership, county unemployment, and more.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263122
Date: 09/2026
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Examines factors associated with loss of obstetric services in hospitals. Analyzes 3,108 rural and urban hospitals in 2010 and then again in 2023 to observe rates of unit or hospital closure. Includes breakdown of hospital characteristics such as distance to nearest obstetric hospital, birth volume, hospital ownership, county unemployment, and more.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263122
Date: 09/2026
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Strengthening Rural Primary Care Will Require More Robust Research and Evidence
Examines research barriers of studying primary care in rural areas as well as strategies to improve evidence collection, define rural populations, and locate usable data.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Kevin Bennett, Anushree Vichare, Chris Salyers
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Examines research barriers of studying primary care in rural areas as well as strategies to improve evidence collection, define rural populations, and locate usable data.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Kevin Bennett, Anushree Vichare, Chris Salyers
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Changing Patterns of Specialty Care for Diabetic Foot Ulcers among Rural and Urban Veterans Following the VA MISSION Act
Presents a study on older veterans' access to specialty care for diabetic foot ulcers under the MISSION Act in rural and urban areas. Explores veterans' access both inside and outside of the VA and breaks down utilization data by specialty, such as podiatry, infectious disease, vascular surgery, and endocrinology.
Author(s): Hiroyuki Suzuki, Mary Vaughan-Sarrazin, Michael Ohl, et al.
Citation: International Wound Journal, 23(9), e71039
Date: 09/2026
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Presents a study on older veterans' access to specialty care for diabetic foot ulcers under the MISSION Act in rural and urban areas. Explores veterans' access both inside and outside of the VA and breaks down utilization data by specialty, such as podiatry, infectious disease, vascular surgery, and endocrinology.
Author(s): Hiroyuki Suzuki, Mary Vaughan-Sarrazin, Michael Ohl, et al.
Citation: International Wound Journal, 23(9), e71039
Date: 09/2026
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