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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Primary care

Diagnosing and Managing Mild TBI in Rural Kids
Discusses the challenges of diagnosing and treating pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in rural areas. Covers recommendations and rules for computerized tomography (CT) scans and symptom assessment, recovery and support for patients, educational resources for patients and families, and telemedicine as an option that increases access to follow-up care for mTBI.
Author(s): Kelly Sarmiento
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rapid Deployment of a Statewide COVID‐19 ECHO Program for Frontline Clinicians: Early Results and Lessons Learned
Evaluates Project ECHO as a model for the dissemination of information to rural providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focuses on the Oregon ECHO Network's creation of a COVID-19 ECHO program for frontline clinicians. Breaks down the program's development, participants, and curriculum.
Author(s): Anna L. Steeves-Reece, Nancy C. Elder, Tuesday A. Graham, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 227-230
Date: 01/2021
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A Primary Care Response to COVID‐19 for Patients with an Opioid Use Disorder
Discusses the challenges of treating patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights decisions made by primary care physicians regarding harm reduction related to COVID-19 that may have detrimental effects for OUD patient.
Author(s): Courtenay Gilmore Wilson, Melinda Ramage, E. Blake Fagan
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 169-171
Date: 01/2021
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The State of the Nurse Practitioner Profession, 2020: Results from the National Nurse Practitioner Sample Survey
Analyzes data from the 2020 National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners to describe the nurse practitioner (NP) workforce in the U.S. Covers education, certification, practice patterns, and compensation, including statistics on NPs who practice in Rural Health Clinics.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: American Association of Nurse Practitioners
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Developing a Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) Delivery Process for Patients and Primary Care Providers Serving Poor, Rural, and Minority Patients with Cancer
Describes the results of a study to develop, implement, and evaluate an electronic medical record (EMR) process to create and deliver survivorship care plans (SCPs) to patients and their primary care providers. Focuses on a diverse patient population served by the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center with low socioeconomic status, living in rural areas, and who are racial and ethnic minorities.
Author(s): Bernard Tawfik, Shoshana Adler Jaffe, Lisa Mohler, et al.
Citation: Supportive Care in Cancer, 29(9), 5021-5028
Date: 2021
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Maine State Office of Rural Health: Strategic Plan 2021
Offers a current assessment of activities of the Maine's Rural Health and Primary Care Program, and includes recommendations to improve health outcomes for rural and medically underserved Maine residents. Features sections on Critical Access Hospitals, Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program eligible hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Rural Health Clinics. Includes statistics on primary care providers, mental health providers, and dentists.
Author(s): Pat Hart, Carol Kelly
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Maine Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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2016-2020 South Dakota Primary Care Needs Assessment
Findings of a comprehensive analysis and needs assessment of South Dakota counties and their potential areas of need in primary healthcare. Includes sections on tribal populations, Medicaid, telehealth, Health Professional Shortage Areas, Rural Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals, behavioral health, substance abuse, and educational opportunities for the primary care workforce. Features county-by-county statistics for various health indicators.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Office of Rural Health
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Kansas Primary Care Needs Assessment
Reports the results of a statewide needs assessment conducted in 2021 that focuses on the primary care needs of rural and underserved populations in Kansas. Includes discussion on provider shortages, access issues related to quality preventive and primary care services, telehealth services, and more. Shares maps providing county-level data on Primary Care, Dental, and Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
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Disrupting Disparities in Pennsylvania: Retooling for Geographic, Racial and Ethnic Growth
White paper examining geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in Pennsylvania along key health indicators, based on interviews with key stakeholders, a literature review, and analyses of databases on the health of Pennsylvanians. Includes sections on telehealth, broadband access as a social determinant of health, and challenges of aging in rural areas. Features demographics and statistics on prevalence of chronic diseases and maps showing Pennsylvania rural counties and Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas.
Author(s): Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili, Angela Foreshaw-Rouse, Martha C. Coates, et al.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
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Implementing High-Quality Primary Care: Rebuilding the Foundation of Health Care
Examines the current state of primary care in the United States, and describes an implementation plan to strengthen high-quality primary care. Discusses value-based care and reimbursement, access to care, primary care workforce recruitment and training, and the role of health information technology. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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