Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Inpatient care
Care Fragmentation and Readmission Mortality and Length of Stay Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Data from the National Readmissions Database, 2018–2020
Examines fragmented readmissions, in which a patient returns to a hospital that is different than their prior admission, and the impact on in-hospital mortality and longer lengths-of-stay (LOS). Analyzes readmission data during the COVID-19 pandemic against 2018-2019 data and includes breakdowns according to patient sex, age, income, insurance status, and health condition, as well as hospital type and large metropolitan area, small metropolitan area, micropolitan, or non-metropolitan/non-micropolitan location.
Author(s): Sara Turbow, Tiffany Walker, Steven Culler, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 622
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Examines fragmented readmissions, in which a patient returns to a hospital that is different than their prior admission, and the impact on in-hospital mortality and longer lengths-of-stay (LOS). Analyzes readmission data during the COVID-19 pandemic against 2018-2019 data and includes breakdowns according to patient sex, age, income, insurance status, and health condition, as well as hospital type and large metropolitan area, small metropolitan area, micropolitan, or non-metropolitan/non-micropolitan location.
Author(s): Sara Turbow, Tiffany Walker, Steven Culler, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 622
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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April 2024 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2024 meeting. Covers telehealth in Medicare, alternative approaches to lowering Medicare payments for select conditions in inpatient rehabilitation facilities, approaches for updating the Medicare physician fee schedule, initial findings from an analysis of Medicare Part B payment rates and 340B ceiling prices, and more. Includes discussion of telehealth in rural areas and data on telehealth use in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) between 2020 and 2022.
Additional links: Telehealth in Medicare: Status Report - Presentation Slides
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2024 meeting. Covers telehealth in Medicare, alternative approaches to lowering Medicare payments for select conditions in inpatient rehabilitation facilities, approaches for updating the Medicare physician fee schedule, initial findings from an analysis of Medicare Part B payment rates and 340B ceiling prices, and more. Includes discussion of telehealth in rural areas and data on telehealth use in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) between 2020 and 2022.
Additional links: Telehealth in Medicare: Status Report - Presentation Slides
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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2023 National CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment National Report
Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the October-December 2023 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the October-December 2023 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy: Mandated Report: Rural Emergency Hospitals: Chapter 15
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Discusses the evolution of Medicare's support for rural hospitals through payment policies and the impact of declining inpatient volumes on rural hospitals' financial sustainability. Describes the characteristics of hospitals that converted to REH status in 2023, the first year of the designation.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Discusses the evolution of Medicare's support for rural hospitals through payment policies and the impact of declining inpatient volumes on rural hospitals' financial sustainability. Describes the characteristics of hospitals that converted to REH status in 2023, the first year of the designation.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2024
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for Medicare fee-for-service payment systems, Medicare Advantage (MA), and Medicare Part D. Includes two mandated reports on special needs plans for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for Medicare fee-for-service payment systems, Medicare Advantage (MA), and Medicare Part D. Includes two mandated reports on special needs plans for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Mortality for Time-Sensitive Conditions at Urban vs Rural Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Analyzed hospitalizations in 3,813 rural and urban facilities to determine patient mortality outcomes for non-COVID-19 time sensitive conditions before and during the pandemic. Discusses rural and urban disparities.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Rachel M. Henke, Kathryn R. Fingar, Lan Liang, Denis Agniel
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(3)
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Analyzed hospitalizations in 3,813 rural and urban facilities to determine patient mortality outcomes for non-COVID-19 time sensitive conditions before and during the pandemic. Discusses rural and urban disparities.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Rachel M. Henke, Kathryn R. Fingar, Lan Liang, Denis Agniel
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(3)
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review Measures Under Consideration: 2023 Recommendations Report
Reviews the 42 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2023-2024 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Reviews the 42 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2023-2024 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Opioid Stewardship Program Implementation in Rural and Critical Access Hospitals in Arizona
Assesses the implementation of 11 opioid stewardship program (OSP) elements at 17 Arizona Critical Access Hospitals. Compares data between the emergency and inpatient departments and analyzes trends. Discusses standardization of OSPs and both preventing and treating opioid misuse disorder.
Author(s): Benjamin R. Brady, Bianca SantaMaria, Kathryn Tucker Ortiz y Pino, Bridget S. Murphy
Citation: Journal of Opioid Management, 20(1), 21-30
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
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Assesses the implementation of 11 opioid stewardship program (OSP) elements at 17 Arizona Critical Access Hospitals. Compares data between the emergency and inpatient departments and analyzes trends. Discusses standardization of OSPs and both preventing and treating opioid misuse disorder.
Author(s): Benjamin R. Brady, Bianca SantaMaria, Kathryn Tucker Ortiz y Pino, Bridget S. Murphy
Citation: Journal of Opioid Management, 20(1), 21-30
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
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Place of Care in the Last Three Years of Life for Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines place of care during the last 3 years of life according to days of institutional care (hospital inpatient or skilled nursing facility), skilled home care (home healthcare or hospice), or personal home. Analyzes sociodemographic factors of 199,828 Medicare beneficiaries, with data broken down by median days in care, age at death, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance type, health conditions, and metro versus nonmetro neighborhood.
Author(s): Haiqun Lin, Irina B. Grafova, Anum Zafar, et al.
Citation: BMC Geriatrics, 24, 91
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
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Examines place of care during the last 3 years of life according to days of institutional care (hospital inpatient or skilled nursing facility), skilled home care (home healthcare or hospice), or personal home. Analyzes sociodemographic factors of 199,828 Medicare beneficiaries, with data broken down by median days in care, age at death, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance type, health conditions, and metro versus nonmetro neighborhood.
Author(s): Haiqun Lin, Irina B. Grafova, Anum Zafar, et al.
Citation: BMC Geriatrics, 24, 91
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
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January 2024 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2024 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, outpatient dialysis services, hospice services, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Discusses status reports on ambulatory surgical centers, Medicare Part D, and the Medicare Advantage program, as well as policy options for standardized benefits in Medicare Advantage plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2024 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, outpatient dialysis services, hospice services, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Discusses status reports on ambulatory surgical centers, Medicare Part D, and the Medicare Advantage program, as well as policy options for standardized benefits in Medicare Advantage plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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