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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

Pediatric Subspecialty Outreach Clinics: Reach and Impact on Access to Care
Examines the impact of pediatric subspecialty clinics on driving times to children's subspecialty care in Maine. Compares distance to outreach clinics and clinical hubs for seven pediatric subspecialties, utilizing Google Maps driving time estimates for each Maine ZIP code tabulation area. Includes breakdowns by rural versus urban area.
Author(s): James C. Bohnhoff, Anya Cutler, Sean Hagenbuch, Kristen Kurland
Citation: BMC Pediatrics, 24, 519
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Rural-Urban Mild Cognitive Impairment Comparison in West Michigan Through EHR
Analyzed electronic health record data for 1,528,464 patients to highlight rural and urban differences in mild cognitive impairment incidence, risk factors, and healthcare access in West Michigan. Discusses implications of study findings on dementia diagnosis, access to specialists, and more.
Author(s): Xiaodan Zhang, Martin Witteveen-Lane, Christine Skovira, et al.
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Geographic Variation in Shortfalls of Dementia Specialists in the United States
Reports on distribution of dementia specialists to identify potential dementia care shortage areas for the older adult population. Discusses the impact on rural residents.
Author(s): Jodi L. Liu, Lawrence Baker, Annie Yu-An Chen, Jue (Jessie) Wang
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(7)
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Provision of Stroke Care Services by Community Disadvantage Status in the US, 2009-2022
Results of a study of 5,055 hospitals, examining the association of community socioeconomic disadvantage with likelihood of nearby hospitals adopting stroke center certification from 2009-2022. Features statistics including hospital characteristics during the study period, with breakdown by rural location.
Author(s): Renee Y. Hsia, Nandita Sarkar, Yu-Chu Shen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(7), e2421010
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Expanding the Opioid Use Disorder Medication Treatment Workforce in Rural Communities Through the RCORP Initiative
Examines the impact of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) on the workforce supply of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-waivered clinicians in rural areas, who are able to prescribe buprenorphine. Analyzes 2017–2022 DEA lists of waivered clinicians to report on counties with a waivered clinician, clinician-to-population ratios, and treatment slot-to-population ratios. Discusses the impact of RCORP funding on Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) recovery services in rural communities.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Kathleen Meyers, Davis G. Patterson
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Interactive Maps to Improve Stroke Systems of Care in Wisconsin
Analyzes transfer patterns of stroke patients, including driving time and distance, from small rural hospitals to large tertiary hospitals in Wisconsin. Describes the development of interactive stroke transfer maps and discusses the use of mapping to identify gaps in systems of care, improve the efficiency of emergency services, and better understand hospital capacity.
Author(s): Ka Z. Xiong, Lena Swander, Dot Bluma, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21, 230166
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2024
Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures.
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Primary Care Providers Fill Rural Gaps in Autism Resources
Features efforts in Arkansas, Missouri, and Arizona to improve screening and services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. Includes methods for preparing primary care providers and providing support for caregivers.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Associations Between COVID-19 Therapies and Outcomes in Rural and Urban America: A Multisite, Temporal Analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Impact of Rural Location on Receipt of Standard of Care Treatment and Survival for Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer in Louisiana
Examines whether rural or urban dwelling affects odds of receiving standard of care (SOC) treatment and survival outcomes among 983 locally advanced bladder cancer patients in Louisiana. Utilizes 2010-2020 Louisiana Tumor Registry data.
Author(s): Megan Escott, Yong Yi, Ashley Foret, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 13(12), e7301
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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