Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Service delivery models
The Future of Telehealth After COVID-19: New Opportunities and Challenges
Provides an overview of the current evidence regarding telehealth's impact on equitable access to care and on quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities for mental health and substance use disorder services. Discusses the importance of telehealth on primary and specialty care during the public health emergency (PHE). Offers recommendations for Medicare telehealth policies to promote better outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and value for the Medicare program.
Additional links: Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Julia Harris, Sabah Bhatnagar, Brady Newell, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
Provides an overview of the current evidence regarding telehealth's impact on equitable access to care and on quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities for mental health and substance use disorder services. Discusses the importance of telehealth on primary and specialty care during the public health emergency (PHE). Offers recommendations for Medicare telehealth policies to promote better outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and value for the Medicare program.
Additional links: Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Julia Harris, Sabah Bhatnagar, Brady Newell, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
Delivery of Cancer Screening and Treatment in Critical Access Hospitals
Summarizes results of a survey of 135 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) regarding cancer screening and treatment provided by CAHs. Describes the role of visiting providers and the use of telemedicine in cancer screening and treatment.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Xiomara Santana, Helen Parsons, Nathan Bean, Ira Moscovice
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Summarizes results of a survey of 135 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) regarding cancer screening and treatment provided by CAHs. Describes the role of visiting providers and the use of telemedicine in cancer screening and treatment.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Xiomara Santana, Helen Parsons, Nathan Bean, Ira Moscovice
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Rural Health System Value-Based Care Innovators Roundtable: Strategies and Insights
Presents findings from interviews with five health systems that include a substantial proportion of rural hospitals and clinics and actively support the transition to value-based care. Covers organizational structure, governance and decision-making, operations, data and communication, contracts, and social determinants of health. Identifies common health system tensions and opportunities to implementing value-based care at rural facilities.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Presents findings from interviews with five health systems that include a substantial proportion of rural hospitals and clinics and actively support the transition to value-based care. Covers organizational structure, governance and decision-making, operations, data and communication, contracts, and social determinants of health. Identifies common health system tensions and opportunities to implementing value-based care at rural facilities.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Advancing Health Equity and Integrated Care for Rural Dual Eligibles
Discusses health disparities for rural individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Presents an overview of a toolkit to advance health equity for rural dual eligibles and findings from roundtables of 50 stakeholders across 3 states regarding solutions for the workforce and service needs of this population.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
view details
Discusses health disparities for rural individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Presents an overview of a toolkit to advance health equity for rural dual eligibles and findings from roundtables of 50 stakeholders across 3 states regarding solutions for the workforce and service needs of this population.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
view details
Maternal Health: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural Areas
Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Key Considerations for a Rural Hospital Assessing Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Small Rural Hospitals with Low-Volume Emergency Departments that May Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)
Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Home Health Agencies Used Multiple Strategies to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Although Some Challenges Persist
Presents results of a survey of home health agencies (HHAs) conducted between September through December 2021 to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses challenges related to staffing, infection control, the use of telehealth, and the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans, as well as challenges specific to rural HHAs. Provides recommendations for how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help HHAs prepare for and respond to current and future infectious disease outbreaks and changes to the home health care landscape.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Presents results of a survey of home health agencies (HHAs) conducted between September through December 2021 to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses challenges related to staffing, infection control, the use of telehealth, and the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans, as well as challenges specific to rural HHAs. Provides recommendations for how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help HHAs prepare for and respond to current and future infectious disease outbreaks and changes to the home health care landscape.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
The Involvement of Rural Health Clinic Practitioners in Cancer Treatment Decisions and Survivorship Care
Results of a survey examining how practitioners from 153 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in 36 states are involved in their patients' cancer treatment and survivorship decisions. Features statistics on RHC characteristics, proportions of RHC practitioners who provide care or engage in joint decisions with another practitioner, RHC practitioner roles in cancer survivorship care, and experience with follow-up care for cancer survivors.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Allie F. Silverman, Stella Self, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
Results of a survey examining how practitioners from 153 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in 36 states are involved in their patients' cancer treatment and survivorship decisions. Features statistics on RHC characteristics, proportions of RHC practitioners who provide care or engage in joint decisions with another practitioner, RHC practitioner roles in cancer survivorship care, and experience with follow-up care for cancer survivors.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Allie F. Silverman, Stella Self, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
How Alaska Supports Rural and Frontier Behavioral Health Services
Describes Alaska's Behavioral Health Aide (BHA) program, a non-licensed provider type designed to promote behavioral health and wellness in Alaska Native individuals, families, and communities through culturally relevant training and education. Discusses qualifications for the BHA certification, payment, and next steps for other states seeking to develop similar programs.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
view details
Describes Alaska's Behavioral Health Aide (BHA) program, a non-licensed provider type designed to promote behavioral health and wellness in Alaska Native individuals, families, and communities through culturally relevant training and education. Discusses qualifications for the BHA certification, payment, and next steps for other states seeking to develop similar programs.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
view details