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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality

Notes from the Field: Characteristics of Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champions, 2012–2019
Reports on characteristics of the Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champions in 2019. Champions were clinicians, practices, health centers, and health systems that achieved ≥80% blood pressure control rates among their patients with hypertension. Also includes information on the Hypertension Control Champions from 2012-2018. Provides counts for programs serving urban, rural, and both urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Matthew D. Ritchey, Judy Hannan, Hilary K. Wall, Mary G. George, Laurence S. Sperling
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(7), 196-197
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Patient and Hospital Factors Associated With Unexpected Newborn Complications Among Term Neonates in US Hospitals
Results of a study to examine the rates of severe, unexpected complications in full term newborns in 576 hospitals from January 2015 - December 2017. Explores whether rates vary significantly among hospitals and looks at risk factors and possible causes of variation. Features statistics on characteristics of mothers, hospitals, and delivery types, and median percentage of rural population in the counties where deliveries occurred.
Author(s): Mark A. Clapp, Kaitlyn E. James, Sara V. Bates
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(2)
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
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There's No Place Like Home: Home Health Care in Rural America
Recording of testimony by providers of rural home health care and representatives of home health and hospice organizations, in a hearing held by the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging on February 12, 2020. Addresses challenges including workforce shortages and limitations in Medicare coverage for needed services.
Additional links: Testimony of Francis Adams, Testimony of Leigh Ann Howard, Testimony of Warren Hebert, Testimony of William A. Dombi
Date: 02/2020
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
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Template for Emergency Medical Services Informed Community Self Determination (ICSD)
Includes an agency pre-visit checklist, a sample Program Agreement, and evaluation tools to help outside evaluators report on issues that might affect a community's EMS performance and level of care. Intended for rural, relatively isolated areas with few EMS resource options.
Author(s): Kevin McGinnis, Gary Wingrove
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State EMS Officials
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Defense Health Care: Plans Needed to Ensure Implementation of Required Elements for TRICARE's Managed Care Support Contracts
Report highlights the Government Accountability Office recommendations for the implementation of changes to the Department of Defense's TRICARE managed support contracts that were required by Congress. Evaluates the specific improvements relating to healthcare delivery and touches on their importance in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Understanding and Addressing the Drivers of Infant Mortality in Maine
Overview of infant mortality data for Maine between 2000 and 2017. Includes county-level data as well as rural and urban comparisons. Discusses causes of mortality, risk factors, challenges for rural residents in the Maine healthcare system, social determinants of health, and more. Makes recommendations for decreasing infant mortality with specific recommendations for rural.
Author(s): Katherine Flaherty
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
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January 2020 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2020 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for hospital inpatient and outpatient services, physician and other health professional services, outpatient dialysis services and improving the ESRD payment system, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, long-term care hospital services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, hospice services, and ambulatory surgical center services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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EMS in Dixie County, Florida: Driving Data for Improved Health
Video details how Dixie County, Florida used supplemental Flex funding to improve reporting quality data collection of its rural emergency medical services (EMS). Explores the way the county used the supplement funding to improve the rate of data collection and data quality of the county's EMS.
Date: 01/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Healthcare Professionals' Mental Health Needs: Where Can They Go?
Provides an overview of the mental health needs of healthcare providers and the barriers to accessing care. Features the work of physician health programs, professional societies, state licensure boards, and other groups to help ensure providers' mental health needs are addressed. Discusses the impact of provider wellness on patient safety and healthcare quality.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Burnout: Measurement Tool(s), Cause(s) and Impact(s)
Reports on what is known about burnout among rural healthcare providers, highlighting several research studies. Discusses the impact of burnout on turnover, productivity, healthcare quality, and safety.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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