Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2018
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and offers recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Includes a chapter on ensuring appropriate access to and use of hospital emergency department (ED) services that provides extensive information on rural access to ED services and identifies examples of rural off-campus emergency departments. Other sections of the report addressing rural concerns focus on post-acute care, quality and value payment programs, and medical device payment policies. Also includes a report on the effects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 06/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluates Medicare payment issues and offers recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Includes a chapter on ensuring appropriate access to and use of hospital emergency department (ED) services that provides extensive information on rural access to ED services and identifies examples of rural off-campus emergency departments. Other sections of the report addressing rural concerns focus on post-acute care, quality and value payment programs, and medical device payment policies. Also includes a report on the effects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 06/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Rural Hospital Transitional Care Program Reduces Medicare Spending
Evaluates the impact of a weekly transitional care intervention, conducted by phone for recently discharged patients, on service use and spending among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries at a community-based hospital in rural Worcester County, Maryland.
Author(s): Keith Kranker, Linda M. Barterian, Rumin Sarwar, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Managed Care, 24(5), 256-260
Date: 05/2018
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Evaluates the impact of a weekly transitional care intervention, conducted by phone for recently discharged patients, on service use and spending among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries at a community-based hospital in rural Worcester County, Maryland.
Author(s): Keith Kranker, Linda M. Barterian, Rumin Sarwar, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Managed Care, 24(5), 256-260
Date: 05/2018
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The Evolution of Annual Wellness Visits at Bellin Health Partners Next Generation Accountable Care Organization
Features a primarily rural Accountable Care Organization serving Michigan's upper peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin. Outlines their initiative to maximize the benefits of annual wellness visits using a care team and health information technology. Addresses provider incentives and efforts to improve care team communications, as well as the initiative's results and next steps.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Features a primarily rural Accountable Care Organization serving Michigan's upper peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin. Outlines their initiative to maximize the benefits of annual wellness visits using a care team and health information technology. Addresses provider incentives and efforts to improve care team communications, as well as the initiative's results and next steps.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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ThedaCare: Leveraging Community Paramedics To Bridge Persistent Gaps in Care
Describes ThedaCare, a 2016 participant in the Transforming Complex Care initiative from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Center for Health Care Strategies, a community paramedic (CP) program that works to extend the reach of clinic services to medically and socially complex patients in Northeastern Wisconsin. Discusses program goals, steps to establishing the CP program, and sustainability.
Author(s): Naomi Freundlich
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Describes ThedaCare, a 2016 participant in the Transforming Complex Care initiative from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Center for Health Care Strategies, a community paramedic (CP) program that works to extend the reach of clinic services to medically and socially complex patients in Northeastern Wisconsin. Discusses program goals, steps to establishing the CP program, and sustainability.
Author(s): Naomi Freundlich
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Nursing Home Infection Control Program Characteristics, CMS Citations, and Implementation of Antibiotic Stewardship Policies: A National Study
Results of a study of 2,514 nursing homes to assess infection preventionist training and certification, staff turnover, and infection control program characteristics. Features statistics on facility characteristics, with breakdowns by locations in metro, large urban, small urban, or rural areas.
Author(s): Patricia W. Stone, Carolyn T.A. Herzig, Mansi Agarwal, Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Andrew W. Dick
Citation: Inquiry, 55:1-7
Date: 05/2018
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Results of a study of 2,514 nursing homes to assess infection preventionist training and certification, staff turnover, and infection control program characteristics. Features statistics on facility characteristics, with breakdowns by locations in metro, large urban, small urban, or rural areas.
Author(s): Patricia W. Stone, Carolyn T.A. Herzig, Mansi Agarwal, Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Andrew W. Dick
Citation: Inquiry, 55:1-7
Date: 05/2018
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Delta Memorial Hospital's SEAL Team
Describes Delta Memorial Hospital's (DMH) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project, completed in 2017, focused on improving quality of care and transition of care. DMH is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Dumas, Arkansas. 12 months after implementing the recommendations, DMH met two of their three measurable goals. The SEAL team, or Service Excellence Advisor Leaders, are charged with regularly reviewing patient satisfaction surveys to identify service areas that need improvement.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Describes Delta Memorial Hospital's (DMH) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project, completed in 2017, focused on improving quality of care and transition of care. DMH is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Dumas, Arkansas. 12 months after implementing the recommendations, DMH met two of their three measurable goals. The SEAL team, or Service Excellence Advisor Leaders, are charged with regularly reviewing patient satisfaction surveys to identify service areas that need improvement.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Stroke Care Quality Improvement Initiatives in Critical Access Hospitals
Highlights successful evidenced-based programs implemented by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural hospitals to improve stroke care. Reviews key program elements, quality improvement stroke data measures, and CAH participation for state-level initiatives and covers national stroke care quality improvement initiatives.
Author(s): Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Highlights successful evidenced-based programs implemented by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural hospitals to improve stroke care. Reviews key program elements, quality improvement stroke data measures, and CAH participation for state-level initiatives and covers national stroke care quality improvement initiatives.
Author(s): Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Evaluation of the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative: Fourth Annual Report
Final report evaluating the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services four-year Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative. Examines CPC participants, program implementation, and impact of CPC on clinicians and staff, patient experience, cost, service use, and quality of care. Includes information on rural practices participating in the CPC.
Author(s): Deborah Peikes, Grace Anglin, Stacy Dale, et al.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica Policy Research
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Final report evaluating the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services four-year Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative. Examines CPC participants, program implementation, and impact of CPC on clinicians and staff, patient experience, cost, service use, and quality of care. Includes information on rural practices participating in the CPC.
Author(s): Deborah Peikes, Grace Anglin, Stacy Dale, et al.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica Policy Research
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The Health Care Workforce: Addressing Shortages and Improving Care
Testimony in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions on May 22, 2018. Examines the growing problem of healthcare shortages in rural areas and the response by the federal government. Also explores how well healthcare professionals are being trained and why they choose the geographical areas where they work. Focuses on shortages of physicians, nurses, and professionals specializing in care of older adults.
Additional links: Testimony by Elizabeth A. Phelan, Testimony by Julie Tanner Sanford, Testimony by Kristen H. Goodell
Author(s): Kristen Goodell, Julie Sanford, Elizabeth Phelan
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Testimony in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions on May 22, 2018. Examines the growing problem of healthcare shortages in rural areas and the response by the federal government. Also explores how well healthcare professionals are being trained and why they choose the geographical areas where they work. Focuses on shortages of physicians, nurses, and professionals specializing in care of older adults.
Additional links: Testimony by Elizabeth A. Phelan, Testimony by Julie Tanner Sanford, Testimony by Kristen H. Goodell
Author(s): Kristen Goodell, Julie Sanford, Elizabeth Phelan
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Leaving the Emergency Department Without Complete Care: Disparities In American Indian Children
Examines children who leave the emergency department (ED) without complete evaluation or care (LWCET) in American Indian (AI) pediatric populations between June 2011 and May 2012. Analyzes 68,461 visits made by 47,228 children to 5 EDs and investigates factors such as demographic characteristics of patient, triage level, distance from the ED, timing of visit, ED activity level, and more.
Author(s): Tess L. Weber, Katherine M. Ziegler, Anupam B. Kharbanda, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 18(267)
Date: 04/2018
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Examines children who leave the emergency department (ED) without complete evaluation or care (LWCET) in American Indian (AI) pediatric populations between June 2011 and May 2012. Analyzes 68,461 visits made by 47,228 children to 5 EDs and investigates factors such as demographic characteristics of patient, triage level, distance from the ED, timing of visit, ED activity level, and more.
Author(s): Tess L. Weber, Katherine M. Ziegler, Anupam B. Kharbanda, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 18(267)
Date: 04/2018
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