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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status on Risk-Adjusted Readmission Rates: Implications for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
Examines what would happen to hospitals' excess readmission ratios and potential penalties if socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity were added to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services risk-adjustment algorithm. Includes information on potential change in penalties for metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetro hospitals.
Author(s): Grant R. Martsolf, Marguerite L. Barrett, Audrey J. Weiss, et al.
Citation: Inquiry, 53
Date: 10/2016
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Health Insurance CO-OPs: Product Availability and Premiums in Rural Counties
Describes the role of CO-OPs, their regional distribution, and national prevalence in rural and urban counties. Compares the number of products available in counties with and without CO-OP plans in 2014 and 2015.
Author(s): Erika C. Ziller, Zachariah Croll, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2012 Emergency Department Summary Tables
Provides data on ambulatory care emergency department hospital visits. Table 1 includes brief metro/non-metro overview information, and Table 16 has metro/non-metro injury visit data.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Characteristics of Safety-Net Hospitals, 2014
Examines the characteristics of safety net hospitals and inpatient stays at these facilities in 2014, based on data from 40 states. Compares safety net hospitals to non-safety net hospitals. Includes information by hospital location for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore (rural) areas.
Author(s): Janet Pagon Sutton, Raynard E. Washington, Kathryn R. Fingar, Anne Elixhauser
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Most U.S. School Districts Have Low Access to School Counselors: Poor, Diverse, and City School Districts Exhibit Particularly High Student-to-Counselor Ratios
Examines trends in school counselor access. Discusses health-related roles counselors play, including meeting students' personal and social needs, supporting wellness programs, and advocating for students with disabilities. Includes data for rural areas.
Author(s): Douglas J. Gagnon, Marybeth J. Mattingly
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Rural Hospital Participation and Performance in Value-Based Purchasing and Other Delivery System Reform Initiatives
Reports on the participation of delivery system reform initiatives by rural hospitals, and discusses the supporting factors and challenges for successful participation. Includes data comparing rural and urban Hospital Value-Based Payment (HVBP) performance.
Author(s): Karen E. Joynt, Nguyen Nguyen, Lok Wong Samson, et al.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Rural Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Depends on Family Physicians
Brief description of a study examining distribution of physicians approved to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, by specialty and rurality. Features breakdowns by family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, and all other specialties, and by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Peter Wingrove, Brian Park, Andrew Bazemore
Citation: American Family Physician, 94(7), 546
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Robert Graham Center
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Adequacy of EMS Systems of Care Protocols for Adults with OHCA, STEMI & Stroke in Oregon: A Structured Review
Examines the emergency medical services (EMS) treatment protocols practiced in ambulance agencies in Oregon. Focuses on how they align with evidence-based practices for EMS treatment for adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction), and stroke. Includes rural/urban comparisons.
Additional links: Executive Report
Author(s): Paul S. Rostykus
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Geographic Accessibility of Pulmonologists for Adults with COPD
Examines county-level geographic access to pulmonologists for adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Includes statistics describing the distance in miles to a pulmonologist or primary care physician for adults living in rural areas. Figure 1 overlays locations of pulmonologists with county estimates of adults with COPD. Figure 2 overlays the locations of primary care physician locations with county estimates of adults with COPD.
Author(s): Janet B. Croft, Hua Lu, Xingyou Zhang, James B. Holt
Citation: Chest, 150(3), 544-553
Date: 09/2016
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Supply of Nurses in Utah: The 2016 Survey of Utah's Registered Nurses
Provides an overview of the registered nurse (RN) workforce in the state of Utah. Includes demographic statistics and practice characteristics. Covers information describing the level of education for Utah RNs and includes the distribution of RN workforce in rural areas. Discusses the future RN workforce needs.
Author(s): Elizabeth Nagelhout
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: Utah Health Workforce Information Center
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