Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Indian Health Service: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Federal Facilities' Decision-Making About the Use of Funds
Reports on how the Indian Health Service (IHS) oversees federally operated healthcare facilities' decision-making process regarding the use of funds. Discusses the degree to which IHS officials consider the needs of the communities in reviewing facilities' scope of services. Includes recommendations to improve IHS's oversight to ensure that spending targets patient needs.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reports on how the Indian Health Service (IHS) oversees federally operated healthcare facilities' decision-making process regarding the use of funds. Discusses the degree to which IHS officials consider the needs of the communities in reviewing facilities' scope of services. Includes recommendations to improve IHS's oversight to ensure that spending targets patient needs.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Healthcare: A Key Challenge in Alabama's Black Belt
Issue brief examining healthcare access in Alabama's Black Belt region compared to national trends. Covers hospital beds in relation to population, rural hospital closures, COVID-19 strain, and policy impacts.
Author(s): Emily Jacobs, Hunter Whann, Emily Grace Corley, Jonathan Bowen, Noel Keeney
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Alabama Education Policy Center
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Issue brief examining healthcare access in Alabama's Black Belt region compared to national trends. Covers hospital beds in relation to population, rural hospital closures, COVID-19 strain, and policy impacts.
Author(s): Emily Jacobs, Hunter Whann, Emily Grace Corley, Jonathan Bowen, Noel Keeney
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Alabama Education Policy Center
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Innovations in Primary Care Education and Training: Developing Community Partnerships to Improve Population Health - Seventeenth Annual Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to Congress
Offers policy and program development recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding primary care training and education. Recommendations cover longitudinal community-based training programs, chronic disease prevention and management, population health education and training, and telehealth education and training. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
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Offers policy and program development recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding primary care training and education. Recommendations cover longitudinal community-based training programs, chronic disease prevention and management, population health education and training, and telehealth education and training. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
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A Planning, Implementation, and Practice Guide for Building and Sustaining a Health Center-Based MLP
Discusses the role of health center medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) to address social determinants of health. Offers information and tools for health centers, primary care associations, and other organizations to start, strengthen, and sustain an MLP. Describes how to develop screening, referral, and service delivery workflows; how integrating legal services can support health center workforce development; and types of projects MLPs can engage in to help health centers address social determinants of health and health equity at a policy level. Requires name, email address, and organization information to download.
Author(s): Kate Marple. Mallory Curran, Ellen Lawton, Danielle Rahajason
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
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Discusses the role of health center medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) to address social determinants of health. Offers information and tools for health centers, primary care associations, and other organizations to start, strengthen, and sustain an MLP. Describes how to develop screening, referral, and service delivery workflows; how integrating legal services can support health center workforce development; and types of projects MLPs can engage in to help health centers address social determinants of health and health equity at a policy level. Requires name, email address, and organization information to download.
Author(s): Kate Marple. Mallory Curran, Ellen Lawton, Danielle Rahajason
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
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Telecommunications: FCC Should Enhance Performance Goals and Measures for Its Program to Support Broadband Service in High-Cost Areas
Examines the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) high-cost program's performance goals and measures and how they align with leading practices to enable the effective use of performance information. The high-cost program is designed to promote broadband deployment in areas that are not currently served by broadband. Discusses three key challenges the program faces in meeting its goals. Provides recommendations to the Chairman of the FCC to improve performance goals and measures and increase transparency.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) high-cost program's performance goals and measures and how they align with leading practices to enable the effective use of performance information. The high-cost program is designed to promote broadband deployment in areas that are not currently served by broadband. Discusses three key challenges the program faces in meeting its goals. Provides recommendations to the Chairman of the FCC to improve performance goals and measures and increase transparency.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The American Opioid Epidemic in Special Populations: Five Examples
Report on the disproportionate impacts of the opioid crisis on populations, in the criminal justice system, rural residents, veterans, young adults, and individuals who inject drugs. Offers statistical data for each group and discussion of opioid use disorder and mortality, barriers to treatment, promising strategies to address treatment issues, and research and policy priorities. Section on rural populations offers data on drug overdose deaths, rates of opioid prescription, and the association between economic distress and opioid-involved deaths.
Author(s): Carlos Blanco, Mir M. Ali, Aaron Beswick, et al.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Report on the disproportionate impacts of the opioid crisis on populations, in the criminal justice system, rural residents, veterans, young adults, and individuals who inject drugs. Offers statistical data for each group and discussion of opioid use disorder and mortality, barriers to treatment, promising strategies to address treatment issues, and research and policy priorities. Section on rural populations offers data on drug overdose deaths, rates of opioid prescription, and the association between economic distress and opioid-involved deaths.
Author(s): Carlos Blanco, Mir M. Ali, Aaron Beswick, et al.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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The Evolving Landscape of National Telehealth Policies During a Public Health Emergency: Responsiveness to Rural Needs
Provides an overview of the telehealth policy landscape and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth utilization. Compares policy recommendations from the Bipartisan Policy Center's Rural Health Task Force to COVID-19-related policy changes. Includes considerations for additional telehealth policy changes.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Hannah Rochford, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Provides an overview of the telehealth policy landscape and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth utilization. Compares policy recommendations from the Bipartisan Policy Center's Rural Health Task Force to COVID-19-related policy changes. Includes considerations for additional telehealth policy changes.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Hannah Rochford, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Telebehavioral Health: An Effective Alternative to In-Person Care
Issue brief discussing telehealth treatment modalities based on a 2019 review of clinical outcomes related to telebehavioral health. Covers three state-level approaches: the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center Rural Telemental Health Program (VA RTMH), which serves rural Oregon veterans, and Medicaid policies in Texas and Massachusetts. Addresses telebehavioral health policy details, implementation, and considerations for states looking to develop new telebehavioral health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Brittany Lazur, Lily Sobolik, Valerie King
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Issue brief discussing telehealth treatment modalities based on a 2019 review of clinical outcomes related to telebehavioral health. Covers three state-level approaches: the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center Rural Telemental Health Program (VA RTMH), which serves rural Oregon veterans, and Medicaid policies in Texas and Massachusetts. Addresses telebehavioral health policy details, implementation, and considerations for states looking to develop new telebehavioral health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Brittany Lazur, Lily Sobolik, Valerie King
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Volume to Value Transition for Rural Health Systems
Policy position paper providing an overview of the transition from volume-based payment models to value-based payment models. Identifies opportunities and barriers to rural healthcare success in value-based payment models. Presents policy recommendations to promote rural healthcare facility participation in value-based payment models.
Author(s): Kim Breidenbach, Tammy Moore
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper providing an overview of the transition from volume-based payment models to value-based payment models. Identifies opportunities and barriers to rural healthcare success in value-based payment models. Presents policy recommendations to promote rural healthcare facility participation in value-based payment models.
Author(s): Kim Breidenbach, Tammy Moore
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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"Tweener" Hospital Crisis
Policy position paper addressing the closure of hospitals that are too large to be considered Critical Access Hospitals but too small to be considered rural referral centers, and the challenges these facilities face. Discusses the impact of a hospital closure on the community. Includes policy recommendations to prevent the additional hospitals from closing.
Author(s): Alexandra Bryant, Lauren Canary, SuLynn Mester
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper addressing the closure of hospitals that are too large to be considered Critical Access Hospitals but too small to be considered rural referral centers, and the challenges these facilities face. Discusses the impact of a hospital closure on the community. Includes policy recommendations to prevent the additional hospitals from closing.
Author(s): Alexandra Bryant, Lauren Canary, SuLynn Mester
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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