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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality

Reporting of Healthcare-Associated Infections by Critical Access Hospitals
Describes state requirements for reporting healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and the implications for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Also analyzes HAI data reported by CAHs via Hospital Compare.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Emma Distel, Alex Evenson, Shailendra Prasad, Peiyin Hung
Date: 09/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Variations in Guideline-Concordant Breast Cancer Adjuvant Therapy in Rural Georgia
Results of a study of 844 women from rural southwest Georgia who were diagnosed with primary, invasive, early-stage breast cancer between 2001 and 2003, and who received guideline-concordant adjuvant therapy within the study region. Features statistics including breakdowns by age, race, marital status, insurance status, socioeconomic status, rural status, and number of comorbid conditions.
Author(s): Gery P. Guy, Joseph Lipscomb, Theresa W. Gillespie, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 50(4), 1088-1108
Date: 08/2015
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Peer Coaches to Improve Diabetes Outcomes in Rural Alabama: A Cluster Randomized Trial
Discusses the results of a study comparing the effects of peer-coaching intervention that includes brief education versus brief education alone on diabetes patients living in under resourced settings of rural Alabama.
Author(s): Monika M. Safford, Susan Andreae, Andrea L. Cherrington, et al.
Citation: Annals of Family Medicine, 13(Suppl 1), S18–S26
Date: 08/2015
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Evaluation of CMS's Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP) Demonstration
Reports on a 3 year demonstration project regarding the change of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) into advanced primary care practices (APCPs) that provide comprehensive patient-centered healthcare for Medicare beneficiaries. Examines the processes and challenges involved in this change and the effects of the APCP model on access, quality and cost of care delivered to Medicare and Medicaid patients. Includes a rural/urban comparison of findings and data.
Author(s): Katherine L. Kahn, Justin W. Timbie, Mark W. Friedberg, et al.
Date: 07/2015
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Trends in Observed Adult Inpatient Mortality for High-Volume Conditions, 2002-2012
Provides data on adult inpatient mortality between 2002 and 2012 for four high-volume conditions: pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and stroke. Figure 4 and Table 4 provide information by location of patient residence, for rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan areas.
Author(s): Anika L. Hines, Kevin C. Heslin, H. Joanna Jiang, Rosanna Coffey
Date: 07/2015
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Examining the Relationship Between Health IT and Ambulatory Care Workflow Redesign
Analyzes the implementation of health information technology (HIT) in ambulatory care settings to better understand the underlying associations between HIT and workflow processes. Examines data from 6 ambulatory care practices that included 5 primary care practices in rural locations.
Author(s): Kai Zheng, Elizabeth L. Ciemins, Holly J. Lanham, Curt Lindberg
Date: 07/2015
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Potentially Preventable Pediatric Hospital Inpatient Stays for Asthma and Diabetes, 2003-2012
Reports on potentially preventable hospitalizations for asthma and diabetes with short-term complications among children aged 0-17 years. Figure 4 includes data by location of residence for rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Kathryn Fingar, Raynard Washington
Date: 06/2015
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Healthcare Costs and Outcomes for Pediatric Inpatients with Bronchiolitis: Comparison of Urban Versus Rural Hospitals
Compares quality and costs between rural and urban settings for low severity pediatric bronchiolitis admissions.
Author(s): Benson Hsu, Benjamin D. Meyer, Saquib Lakhani
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 15(2), 3380
Date: 06/2015
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2015
Includes chapters on coordinating Medicare policy across payment models, Part B drug payment policy, value-based incentives for managing Part B drug use, multiple drug use including opioids among Medicare Part D enrollees, hospital short-stays, and new methods of measuring quality of care. Rural hospitals, rural referral centers, and rural patient populations are discussed throughout this report.
Date: 06/2015
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Benefits of Early Versus Delayed Palliative Care to Informal Family Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Cancer: Outcomes From the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial
Examines the effects of introducing early palliative care intervention in rural settings for family caregivers (CGs) of patients with advanced-stage cancer by comparing the ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise Before Life Ends) model of early palliative care with the customary cancer care. Addresses the CGs needs and how meeting these needs would support problem solving, decision making, and advance care planning.
Author(s): J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom, Andres Azuero, Kathleen D. Lyons, et al.
Citation: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 33(13), 1446-1452
Date: 05/2015
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