Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care
Hearing on Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities
Recording of a March 12, 2024, House Committee on Ways and Means hearing regarding opportunities and challenges to enhance access to care in patients' homes and modernizing care in rural and underserved communities, with a focus on telehealth and health information technology. Features testimony from two rural patients and representatives from Intermountain Health; Cadence, a company with expertise in chronic care management through remote physiologic monitoring; and Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Additional links: Ateev Mehrotra, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Testimony, Bell Maddux, Home Dialysis Patient - Testimony, Chris Altchek, Cadence - Testimony, Nathan Starr, Intermountain Health - Testimony, Roy Underhill, Hospital at Home Patient - Testimony
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Recording of a March 12, 2024, House Committee on Ways and Means hearing regarding opportunities and challenges to enhance access to care in patients' homes and modernizing care in rural and underserved communities, with a focus on telehealth and health information technology. Features testimony from two rural patients and representatives from Intermountain Health; Cadence, a company with expertise in chronic care management through remote physiologic monitoring; and Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Additional links: Ateev Mehrotra, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Testimony, Bell Maddux, Home Dialysis Patient - Testimony, Chris Altchek, Cadence - Testimony, Nathan Starr, Intermountain Health - Testimony, Roy Underhill, Hospital at Home Patient - Testimony
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Association Between a Network-Based Physician Linchpin Score and Cancer Patient Mortality: A Seer-Medicare Analysis
Presents a study on patient-sharing networks among multidisciplinary teams treating cancer patients and, specifically, the oncologists hold these networks together as "linchpins". Discusses these linchpin oncologists and evaluates the effect they have on cancer outcomes. Explores the affect this has on patients with a number of variables, including living in a rural area.
Author(s): Erika L Moen, Rachel O Schmidt, Tracy Onega, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 116(2), 230-238
Date: 02/2024
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Presents a study on patient-sharing networks among multidisciplinary teams treating cancer patients and, specifically, the oncologists hold these networks together as "linchpins". Discusses these linchpin oncologists and evaluates the effect they have on cancer outcomes. Explores the affect this has on patients with a number of variables, including living in a rural area.
Author(s): Erika L Moen, Rachel O Schmidt, Tracy Onega, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 116(2), 230-238
Date: 02/2024
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Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP) Performance Improvement and Measurement System (PIMS): Summary Report for Program Year 3 (September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2023)
Summarizes findings from the first three years of the 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP), which aims to promote tele-emergency services by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour emergency department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Presents data on grantee network characteristics, the number of originating and distant sites, specialty areas, averted transfers, ED and hospital readmissions, other uses of the telehealth network, and more.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
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Summarizes findings from the first three years of the 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP), which aims to promote tele-emergency services by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour emergency department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Presents data on grantee network characteristics, the number of originating and distant sites, specialty areas, averted transfers, ED and hospital readmissions, other uses of the telehealth network, and more.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
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Beneficiary and Clinician Perspectives on Medicare and Other Issues: Findings from 2023 Focus Groups in Select States
Summarizes findings from 24 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between May and July 2023, including three virtual focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Summarizes findings from 24 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between May and July 2023, including three virtual focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review Measures Under Consideration: 2023 Recommendations Report
Reviews the 42 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2023-2024 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Reviews the 42 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2023-2024 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Unrelenting Pressure Pushes Rural Safety Net Crisis Into Uncharted Territory
Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals. Discusses the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural communities between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MA on rural hospital reimbursement, how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities, and the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services at rural hospitals since 2011. Includes the percentage of rural hospitals in each state vulnerable to closure and nine factors significantly associated with rural hospital vulnerability.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals. Discusses the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural communities between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MA on rural hospital reimbursement, how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities, and the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services at rural hospitals since 2011. Includes the percentage of rural hospitals in each state vulnerable to closure and nine factors significantly associated with rural hospital vulnerability.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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How to Launch a Pulmonary Rehab Program
Highlights the benefits to hospitals and their community of operating rural pulmonary rehab programs, and shares practical advice and tips on how Critical Access Hospitals and small rural hospitals can successfully build and sustain their own pulmonary rehab programs. Features Sparta Community Hospital in Illinois and Hood Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, which opened pulmonary rehab programs in 2023. Transcript available below description.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Highlights the benefits to hospitals and their community of operating rural pulmonary rehab programs, and shares practical advice and tips on how Critical Access Hospitals and small rural hospitals can successfully build and sustain their own pulmonary rehab programs. Features Sparta Community Hospital in Illinois and Hood Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, which opened pulmonary rehab programs in 2023. Transcript available below description.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Understanding COPD and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Provides an overview of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms and causes, and explains how rural-based pulmonary rehabilitation services help to restore independence and quality of life in COPD patients. Highlights the prevalence of COPD in rural communities and the steps that Critical Access Hospitals and other small rural hospitals can take to improve access to much-needed pulmonary rehabilitation services. Includes transcript.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Provides an overview of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms and causes, and explains how rural-based pulmonary rehabilitation services help to restore independence and quality of life in COPD patients. Highlights the prevalence of COPD in rural communities and the steps that Critical Access Hospitals and other small rural hospitals can take to improve access to much-needed pulmonary rehabilitation services. Includes transcript.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Alzheimer Disease or Other Dementias in Adult Day Services Centers, 2020
Examines the prevalence of Alzheimer disease and other dementias among adult day services center (ADSC) participants using data from the ADSC component of the 2020 National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study (NPALS). Compares the prevalence of these conditions in ADSCs that provide specialized care for dementia with other ADSCs by census region, metropolitan statistical area status, chain affiliation, and ownership type.
Author(s): Priyanka Singh, Jessica P. Lendon, Manisha Sengupta
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examines the prevalence of Alzheimer disease and other dementias among adult day services center (ADSC) participants using data from the ADSC component of the 2020 National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study (NPALS). Compares the prevalence of these conditions in ADSCs that provide specialized care for dementia with other ADSCs by census region, metropolitan statistical area status, chain affiliation, and ownership type.
Author(s): Priyanka Singh, Jessica P. Lendon, Manisha Sengupta
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model: Second Annual Evaluation Report
Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, transplantation, acute care hospitalizations, outpatient ED visits, and hospital readmissions. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the ETC Model during calendar years 2021 and 2022. Includes facility-level statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Author(s): Brighita Negrusa, Jennifer Wiens, Darin Ullman, et al.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, transplantation, acute care hospitalizations, outpatient ED visits, and hospital readmissions. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the ETC Model during calendar years 2021 and 2022. Includes facility-level statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Author(s): Brighita Negrusa, Jennifer Wiens, Darin Ullman, et al.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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