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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

Surveillance of the Initiation of, Participation in, and Completion of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Minnesota, 2017–2018
Analyzes cardiac rehabilitation (CR) disparities in Minnesota related to eligibility, initiation, participation, and completion of CR. Examines 12,937 Minnesota All Payer Claims Database members who qualified for CR, with data broken down by county, demographics, type of health insurance, comorbidities, social vulnerability, qualifying condition, rural-urban commuting area code, and more.
Author(s): James M. Peacock, Emily Styles, Sara Johnson, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 20
Date: 04/2023
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Rural-Urban Trends in Health Care Utilization, Treatment, and Mortality Among US Veterans with Congestive Heart Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines Veterans Health Administration patients between 2012 and 2017 with congestive heart failure. Data compare rural and urban differences in healthcare use, treatment received, and mortality with consideration for severity of diagnosis.
Author(s): Maya Aboumrad, David Peritz, Scott Friedman, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 844-852
Date: 04/2023
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The Interaction of Rurality and Rare Cancers for Travel Time to Cancer Care
Explores the connection between rurality and travel time to receive treatment for rare cancers. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, such as age and rurality, among other measures. Compares rare cancers with common cancers and by treatment type.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Chris Leggett, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(2), 426-433
Date: 03/2023
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Measuring and Addressing Health Equity: An Assessment of Cancer Center Designation Requirements
Examines equity structures, processes, and outcomes in cancer center endorsements and their relationship to high-quality cancer care for all populations. Discusses cancer health disparities related to socioeconomic and insurance status, racial/ethnic groups, medically underserved populations, and rural populations. Describes how endorsing bodies can incorporate health equity requirements in cancer care for these groups.
Author(s): Jason T. Semprini, Caitlin B. Biddell, Jan M. Eberth, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 34, 23-33
Date: 03/2023
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A Novel Cardio-Oncology Service Line Model in Optimizing Care Access, Quality and Equity for Large, Multi-Hospital Health Systems
Examines the impact of establishing an academic cardio-oncology service line model for a large, multi-hospital health system to improve access, with rural populations as a primary focus. Discusses multidisciplinary approach, infrastructure elements, quality control, central governance, creation of protocols, and establishment of a cardio-oncology registry.
Author(s): Yan Liu
Citation: Cardio-Oncology, 9, 16
Date: 03/2023
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Leveraging Telemedicine To Eliminate Outcome Disparities For Rural-Born Newborns
Presentation slides from a webinar discussing the barriers affecting care for neonatal encephalopathy in rural areas. Describes telemedicine strategies evaluating neonatal encephalopathy and methods for improving parent understanding. Identifies other applications of telemedicine appropriate for the care of newborns and children.
Additional links: Transcript
Author(s): Alexa Craig
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Teleneurology via Tablet Technology: An Effective Low-Cost Method to Increase Healthcare Accessibility
Presents a study on the use of low-cost tablets in place of more expensive "telemedicine robots" as a means of providing teleneurology services to small rural hospitals. Evaluates a hub-and-spoke teleneurology program based at Vanderbilt University Medical Center serving smaller, community-based hospitals in Kentucky and Tennessee. Draws data from physician and patient surveys.
Author(s): Kelly Harper, Claire Hanson, Bryan Eoff, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(1), 7591
Date: 03/2023
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Disparities in Telemedicine Literacy and Access in the United States
Examines populations who have limited access to telemedicine for plastic surgery care as well as general healthcare. Utilizes data from the U.S. Census and Pew Research Institute survey to create a telemedicine literacy index (TLI) and reports results according to various demographic variables as well as via a county-level U.S. map depicting telemedicine access.
Author(s): Andrew Harris, Amit Jain, Suraj A. Dhanjani, et al.
Citation: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 151(3), 677-685
Date: 03/2023
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Availability of Hospital-Based Cancer Services Before and After Rural Hospital Closure, 2008–2017
Explores the effect rural hospital closures have had on rural cancer care. Draws from American Hospital Association data from 2008 to 2017 and explores the differing outcomes hospital closures had on oncology care, radiation services, and cancer screening in rural areas.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Sylvia Kewei Shi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(2), 416-425
Date: 03/2023
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The Dermatologic Care Needs of a Rural Community in South Florida
Results of a study to investigate the most common skin conditions, management trends, and patterns of referral to dermatology in Belle Glade, Florida. Features demographics and statistics on clinical characteristics, most common diagnoses related to dermatology, and rates of follow up with dermatology referrals.
Author(s): Sara M. Asbeck, Brenda U. Imo, Okelue E. Okobi, Jennifer Dorcé-Medard
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3071
Date: 02/2023
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