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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Technology for health and human services

Electronic Health Information Exchange: Use Has Increased, but Is Lower for Small and Rural Providers
Explores states' use of Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act funding for health information exchange efforts. Examines the extent to which the use of electronic health information exchange has changed since the enactment of the HITECH Act and federal efforts that aim to address challenges to the electronic exchange of health information. Discusses differences in the electronic exchange of information between small and rural hospitals and larger, non-rural hospitals.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Health Care's Role in Rural Economic Development: How Broadband Can Improve Health Outcomes
Policy brief exploring how lack of broadband infrastructure and adaptation in rural areas limits access to healthcare. Includes recommendations for policies and actions to improve the rural broadband infrastructure and promote telehealth.
Author(s): Jeremy Cannon
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Association Between Broadband Capacity and Telehealth Utilization Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Evaluates the relationship between broadband access and telehealth utilization throughout the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, from January through September 2020, by merging county-level data from 3,107 counties focused on broadband capacity, telehealth utilization by Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries, rural-urban residence, and demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Ambrish A Pandit, Ruchira V Mahashabde, Clare C Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2023
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency - Impact for RHCs
Recording of an April 5, 2023, webinar regarding how the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) impacts regulatory waivers and flexibilities related to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Q&A Follow-Up, Transcript
Date: 04/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Innovations in Rural Public Transportation: Data Standards Undergird Equity
Describes how data standards can support mobility as a service to help enable seamless travel and support more equitable access for rural nondrivers. Provides demographic information on rural nondrivers compared to drivers. Explains the roles of data in helping users discover transit services and make transportation-related transactions.
Author(s): Jana Lynott
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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In Need of a Checkup: Examining the Cybersecurity Risks to the Healthcare Sector
Recording of a March 16, 2023, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on cybersecurity threats facing the healthcare sector. Features testimony from Kate Pierce, the former Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer of an Alabama Critical Access Hospital, who discusses cybersecurity in small and rural hospitals.
Additional links: Kate Piece, Fortified Health Security - Testimony
Date: 03/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
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Role of Rural Libraries in Promoting Digital Health Literacy
Webinar highlighting a rural library's efforts to increase digital health literacy and healthcare access in rural Texas. Discusses telehealth, broadband access inequities and digital literacy, transportation issues, aging in place, community health workers working in libraries, emergency response, circulating medical equipment, and summer meals for students. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Network of the National Library of Medicine
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Forces Driving Change in Rural North Carolina
Examines major forces driving change in rural North Carolina communities, which influence people, communities, and businesses. Includes sections on rural healthcare inequities, social determinants of health, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on rural people. Features a county-level map showing health outcome rankings as of 2022, and statistics on the number of healthcare professionals per 10,000 people, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Center
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Deploying Digital Health Technologies for Remote Physical Activity Monitoring of Rural Populations With Chronic Neurologic Disease
Examines remote monitoring of physical activity (PA) levels of rural individuals enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration with a diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) or stroke. Analyzes data from 40 participants broken down by demographic information, rurality, technology access, exercise self-efficacy, fatigue, mental health, and more. Discusses the feasibility of using remote monitoring to assess PA in rural individuals with neurological disease.
Author(s): Kimberly J. Waddell, Mitesh S. Patel, Jayne R. Wilkinson, et al.
Citation: Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation, 5(1)
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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2023 County Health Rankings National Findings Report
Analyzes county-level health and wellness data, focusing on issues such as civic infrastructure and socioeconomic opportunity. Includes information on access to broadband, libraries, parks and recreation, schools, and social organizations. Provides U.S. map of county-level life expectancy (LE) and discusses the relationship of LE to civic participation.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
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