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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Primary care

HERO: New Mexico's Health Extension as a Model for Primary Care Transformation
Describes the benefits and lessons learned of a New Mexico state-wide primary care improvement infrastructure program - Health Extension Rural Offices (HERO) - to address social determinants of health. Through the use of extension agents (HEROs) information about patient centered medical homes (PCMH) and university resources was provided to 34 participating small primary care clinics of which half were rural. Program was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Infrastructure for Maintaining Primary Care Transformation (IMPaCT) Grants.
Author(s): Arthur Kaufman
Date: 04/2015
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Adjacent Border Analysis for Direct Patient Care Physicians
Provides an analysis of direct patient care physicians practicing along the North Dakota border using 2011 data from the American Medical Association physician master file.
Author(s): Gary Hart, Mandi-Leigh Peterson, Abdimajid Ahmed
Date: 04/2015
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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A Guidebook of Professional Practices for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration: Observations from Exemplary Sites
Assists primary care and behavioral health practices in identifying professional practices that have developed a successful workforce model of integrated care. Several primary care organizations with effective integrated behavioral health and primary care participated in the study including 3 in rural areas.
Author(s): Deborah J. Cohen, Melinda M. Davis, Jennifer D. Hall, Emma C. Gilchrist, Benjamin F. Miller
Date: 03/2015
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Estimating the Residency Expansion Required to Avoid Projected Primary Care Physician Shortages by 2035
Discusses the projected shortage of primary care physicians by 2035. Briefly mentions expanding graduate medical education training through the use of teaching health centers and rural training tracks to increase those who choose primary care.
Author(s): Stephen M. Petterson, Winston R. Liaw, Carol Tran, Andrew W. Bazemore
Citation: Annals of Family Medicine, 13(2), 107-114
Date: 03/2015
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Screening and Follow-Up Monitoring for Substance Use in Primary Care: An Exploration of Rural-Urban Variations
Investigates the urban-rural differences in screening primary care-based patients for substance use, and monitoring the symptoms of substance abuse for patients who screen positive. Uses data derived from the Washington State Mental Health Integration Program (MHIP), a state-wide integrated care program in community health clinics in the state of Washington.
Author(s): Ya-Fen Chan, Shou-En Lu, Bill Howe, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31(2), 215-222
Date: 02/2015
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Family Medicine Graduate Proximity to Their Site of Training: Policy Options for Improving the Distribution of Primary Care Access
Assesses the geographic relationship between graduate practice location and family medicine graduate medical education training sites. Results show an uneven geographic distribution between urban and rural primary care physicians. Report also states that family physicians are more likely to work in rural areas.
Author(s): Ernest Blake Fagan, Claire Gibbons, Sean C. Finnegan, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 47(2), 124-130
Date: 02/2015
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Intra Rural and Urban Primary Care Physician Findings: AAMC 2009 Physician Survey of Primary Care Chartbook
Analyzes primary care physician survey data that was assembled by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in 2009/2010 prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to provide baseline measures in which to compare potential post ACA application studies.
Author(s): Gary Hart
Date: 02/2015
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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CPC Practice Spotlights
A collection of short features on primary care practices that participated in the CMS Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative, a multi-payer initiative that offered population-based care management fees and shared savings opportunities to participating practices. Includes examples of practices serving rural areas.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Clinic Readiness for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition: Preparing for the Evolving Healthcare Marketplace
Discusses the results from a survey of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) that identified their capability to be eligible as a NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and examines the need for technical assistance and support of RHCs in the development of the PCMH model.
Additional links: Research & Policy Brief
Author(s): John Gale, Zach Croll, David Hartley, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Tapping Nurse Practitioners to Meet Rising Demand for Primary Care
Discusses the use of advanced practice nurses, specifically nurse practitioners, to increase access to primary care for those residing in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Reports that nurse practitioners working in primary care are more likely than primary care physicians to work in rural areas. Suggests that the use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants could help reduce the primary care provider shortage in 2020 by two-thirds.
Author(s): Amanda Van Vleet, Julia Paradise
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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