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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

Patient Perceptions of Video Visits Using Veterans Affairs Telehealth Tablets: Survey Study
Highlights a study on the perceptions of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients on the use of video-based telehealth via VA-issued tablets. Compares perceptions of rural and urban veterans and discusses some of the healthcare needs addressed through telehealth, including mental healthcare, primary care, and rehabilitation, among others.
Author(s): Cindie Slightam, Amy J Gregory, Jiaqi Hu, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(4), e15682
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
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Health Care Professional Workforce Composition Before and After Rural Hospital Closure
Policy brief examining the change in numbers of local healthcare providers before and after rural hospital closures from 2010-2018, to examine associations with eliminating inpatient services in rural areas. Features statistics with breakdowns by advanced practice providers, primary care providers, and specialists.
Author(s): Erin Mobley, Fred Ullrich, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Mina Shrestha, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Improving Access to Evidence-Based Medical Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Strategies to Address Key Barriers Within the Treatment System
Presents a study on the barriers to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Identifies nine common barriers to evidence-based care for people with OUD, including stigma, workforce training, and financial barriers, among others. Includes rural references throughout.
Author(s): Bertha K. Madras, N. Jia Ahmad, Jenny Wen, et al.
Citation: NAM Perspectives
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Concussion in Rural America: Experts Detail Injury and Recovery of Traumatic Brain Injury
Reports on concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), in rural areas. Discusses the impact of these injuries, the role of support networks, TBI training for rural clinicians, rural TBI data, and management of mTBI in rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Contract Year 2021 and 2022 Policy and Technical Changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D
Responds to a proposed rule to revise regulations for Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit program (Part D). Provides comments on CMS proposals regarding out-of-network telehealth benefits, updates to the quality rating models for MA and Part D plans, and changes to MA network adequacy standards. Discusses how changes to network adequacy standards would impact access to dialysis facilities for beneficiaries in micropolitan counties, rural counties, and counties with extreme access considerations (CEAC).
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Forging a New Frontier: Providing Palliative Care to People with Cancer in Rural and Remote Areas
Shares the results of a literature review examining barriers and challenges related to integrating palliative and cancer care in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Marie Bakitas, Kristen Allen Watts, Emily Malone, et al.
Citation: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 38(9), 963-973
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
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March 2020 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2020 meeting. Covers Medicare Shared Savings Program vulnerabilities, the role of specialists in alternative payment models and accountable care organizations, incentives in Medicare Part D, the Medicare Advantage quality bonus program, and Medicare's end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system. Includes a discussion of ESRD payment adjustments for rural and low-volume providers.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Issue Brief: Creating a High-value Telehealth Strategy
Explores how hospitals can use telehealth services to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. Discusses approaches to deliver telehealth services and provides guidelines to consider when developing a telehealth strategy. Provides examples of how rural hospitals are using telehealth services to meet community needs.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Effect of Travel Distance and Rurality of Residence on Initial Surveillance for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in VA Primary Care Patient with Cirrhosis
Highlights a study on the effect of travel distance on hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance for veterans with cirrhosis who are being treated by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Merges VHA and CMS data and breaks it down by demographics and travel distance to both VA and non-VA medical centers and the patients' primary care providers, among other measures.
Author(s): Yolanda Rodriguez Villalvazo, Jennifer S. McDanel, Lauren A. Beste, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 55(1), 103-112
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
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Potentially Avoidable Inter-Facility Transfer from Veterans Health Administration Emergency Departments: A Cohort Study
Presents a study on potentially avoidable inter-facility transfers within Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. Details patient characteristics, such as rurality of residence and age, as well as transfer location characteristics, such as number of beds and median length of stay, among other factors.
Author(s): Nicholas M. Mohr, Chaorong Wu, Michael J. Ward, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 20,110
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
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