Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Service delivery models
Strengthening California's Primary Care Team Workforce: Data and Recommendations for Action
Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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A Comparison of Independent and System-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Development of Metrics and a Protocol to Clinically Evaluate the HRSA Behavioral Health Integration Program Within the Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program
Describes a protocol and 27 common data elements for examining the implementation of behavioral health integration in primary care. Protocol and elements were developed from 26 participants in the Health Resources and Services Administration's Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Fred Ullrich, Kimberly A.S. Merchant, Christopher M. Shea, Marcia M. Ward
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Describes a protocol and 27 common data elements for examining the implementation of behavioral health integration in primary care. Protocol and elements were developed from 26 participants in the Health Resources and Services Administration's Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Fred Ullrich, Kimberly A.S. Merchant, Christopher M. Shea, Marcia M. Ward
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Telehealth Use for Primary Care Visits Has Stabilized, with Higher Use in Metropolitan Areas and Among Non-English Speakers
Analyzes the use of primary care telehealth over time using Epic Cosmos data. Includes graphs showing change in utilization from July 2024 to October 2025 by patient rurality, among other demographics.
Author(s): Kersten Bartelt, Emily Higgs, Louis Kazaglis, Eric Barkley
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Epic Research
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Analyzes the use of primary care telehealth over time using Epic Cosmos data. Includes graphs showing change in utilization from July 2024 to October 2025 by patient rurality, among other demographics.
Author(s): Kersten Bartelt, Emily Higgs, Louis Kazaglis, Eric Barkley
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Epic Research
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REH Learning Brief: Obstetric Care in Rural Emergency Hospitals
Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Factors Associated with High vs. Low Implementation of Medicare's Chronic Care Management Programme in Wyoming Primary Care Practices
Identifies factors associated with rural primary care practices' participation in the Medicare Chronic Care Management (CCM) program, using interview data of 13 healthcare professionals at 6 sites in Wyoming. Compares characteristics of high and low implementation sites, including discussion of healthcare team communication, evaluation, leadership, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth Punke, Lucas A. Wall, Christine L. McKibbin, et al.
Citation: Primary Health Care Research & Development, 27, e19
Date: 02/2026
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Identifies factors associated with rural primary care practices' participation in the Medicare Chronic Care Management (CCM) program, using interview data of 13 healthcare professionals at 6 sites in Wyoming. Compares characteristics of high and low implementation sites, including discussion of healthcare team communication, evaluation, leadership, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth Punke, Lucas A. Wall, Christine L. McKibbin, et al.
Citation: Primary Health Care Research & Development, 27, e19
Date: 02/2026
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Improving the Value Proposition of Critical Access Hospitals – Lessons from Federal and State Initiatives
Report details how federal and state initiatives can support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) transition to value-based payment models. Provides examples of initiatives that offer models for use by State Flex Programs (SFPs) for supporting CAHs' transformation to value-based care.
Author(s): John Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Bridget Harr
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Report details how federal and state initiatives can support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) transition to value-based payment models. Provides examples of initiatives that offer models for use by State Flex Programs (SFPs) for supporting CAHs' transformation to value-based care.
Author(s): John Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Bridget Harr
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Meeting the Health Needs of Rural America: A Report of the Aspen Health Strategy Group
Presents a model for addressing rural health disparities and encouraging accessible, sustainable healthcare access through community-centered policy, investment, and healthcare delivery. Discusses topics related to health policy, funding, community development, infrastructure, preventive care, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Presents a model for addressing rural health disparities and encouraging accessible, sustainable healthcare access through community-centered policy, investment, and healthcare delivery. Discusses topics related to health policy, funding, community development, infrastructure, preventive care, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Patterns of Telehealth Use During Pregnancy and Postpartum Among Commercially Insured Women
Examines the use of telehealth among pregnant and postpartum women by rural versus urban location and type of service. Utilizes 2019-2021 data to examine telehealth visits by patient characteristics, predelivery versus postpartum use, service type, and rurality. Discusses the role of telehealth to access mental health services and differences between rural and urban telehealth use.
Author(s): Adit Doza, Lijing Ouyang, Donatus U. Ekwueme, et al.
Citation: Journal of Women's Health, 35(2)
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the use of telehealth among pregnant and postpartum women by rural versus urban location and type of service. Utilizes 2019-2021 data to examine telehealth visits by patient characteristics, predelivery versus postpartum use, service type, and rurality. Discusses the role of telehealth to access mental health services and differences between rural and urban telehealth use.
Author(s): Adit Doza, Lijing Ouyang, Donatus U. Ekwueme, et al.
Citation: Journal of Women's Health, 35(2)
Date: 02/2026
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Care Delivery Transformation Case Study: Dartmouth Health Connected Care Program
Profiles the Dartmouth Health Connected Care Program, which supports specialty care delivery via telehealth-based partnerships with rural hospitals in New Hampshire and Vermont. Highlights the Connected Care Program's reach, outcomes, and lessons learned.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Profiles the Dartmouth Health Connected Care Program, which supports specialty care delivery via telehealth-based partnerships with rural hospitals in New Hampshire and Vermont. Highlights the Connected Care Program's reach, outcomes, and lessons learned.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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