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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Pharmacy and prescription drugs

Loss of Community Pharmacies Since 2006: State Experiences
Reports on the number of rural communities that no longer have a pharmacy and the number of rural communities that now only have one retail pharmacy by state. Highlights how policies and telepharmacy could help.
Author(s): Liyan Xu, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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The Key Role of Sole Community Pharmacists in Their Local Healthcare Delivery Systems
Presents findings from a 2008 survey of 401 community pharmacists that are the only retail provider in their community to document their extended relationships with other healthcare providers, as well as the healthcare services they offer.
Author(s): Andrea Radford, Indira Richardson, Michelle Mason, Stephen Rutledge
Date: 03/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Sole Community Pharmacies and Part D Participation: Implications for Rural Residents
Describes the contracting patterns of sole rural community pharmacies in 16 states to assess the extent to which each pharmacy contracts with the most commonly used Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) available in their state.
Author(s): Victoria Freeman, Indira Richardson, Rebecca Slifkin
Date: 02/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Medicare Beneficiaries' Access to Pharmacy Services in Small Rural Towns: Implications of Contracting Patterns of Sole Community Pharmacies with Part D Plans
Describes pharmacy Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) contract patterns of sole rural pharmacies. Addresses PDP enrollment choices of Medicare Part D enrollees.
Author(s): Victoria A Freeman, Indira Richardson, Rebecca T. Slifkin
Date: 01/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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The Association Between Rural Residence and the Use, Type, and Quality of Depression Care
Reports on the link between rurality and the preference for using pharmacotherapy, rather than psychotherapy, to treat depression among rural populations. Also examines whether individuals with depression in rural areas receive lower quality care than their urban counterparts due to the lack of mental health specialists in rural areas.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): John C. Fortney, Jeffrey S. Harman, Stanley Xu, Fran Dong
Date: 2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
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Implementation of Telepharmacy in Rural Hospitals: Potential for Improving Medication Safety
Describes successful telepharmacy activities being implemented in rural hospitals and analyzes policy issues related to the implementation of telepharmacy projects in rural hospitals.
Additional links: Policy Brief, March 2009
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Walter Elias, Alana Knudson, Walter Gregg
Date: 12/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
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Eligible But Not Enrolled? Potential for Targeting Over a Half-Million Rural Medicare Beneficiaries for Enrollment in the Low-Income Subsidy Prescription Drug Program
Discusses the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy (LIS), which is designed to help low-income persons access the prescription drug benefit with reduced premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs. Included chart shows enrollment in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and the LIS by state.
Additional links: State Tables
Author(s): Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 12/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America (2008)
Provides information about the closure of rural independently owned pharmacies, including pharmacies that were the sole source of access to local pharmacy services, from 2003 to 2008.
Additional links: State Table
Author(s): Donald Klepser, Liyan Xu, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 07/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Rural Hospitals: Are You Missing out on Drug Savings?
Outlines the 340B Drug Pricing Program with a focus on cost saving capability for rural organizations.
Author(s): Andrea Radford, Rebecca Slifkin, Claudia Schur, Karen Cheung, Marianne Baernholdt
Citation: Healthcare Financial Management, 62(6), 82-85
Date: 06/2008
Type: Document
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Prevalence of Evidence-Based Safe Medication Practices in Small Rural Hospitals
Describes the prevalence of evidence-based safe medication practices, including the use of voluntary medication error reporting, in small rural hospitals.
Author(s): Gary Cochran, Katherine Jones, Liyan Xu, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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