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Rural Health Information Hub

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

Broadband Task Force: High-Speed Internet is Essential for All Counties
Offers policy recommendations and best practices related to broadband infrastructure, including expansion into rural areas. Discusses broadband technology, community partnerships, and policy considerations. Presents case studies of county-level initiatives and a list of broadband solutions by county in the appendix.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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Examining Opportunities for Growth and Investment in Rural America
Video recording of testimony from rural healthcare and economic organization leadership to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Discusses broadband and telehealth, COVID-19 impacts on rural healthcare and economics, education, infrastructure, aging, and agriculture business issues. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Testimony Transcripts
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
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Adoption of Health System Innovations: Evidence of Urban-Rural Disparities from the Ohio Primary Care Marketplace
Examines the market penetration of Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), and the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) among primary care providers (PCPs) in Ohio between 2011 and 2015. Compares the percentage of PCPs who are affiliated with ACOs, PCMHs, and meaningful use by urban and rural county status.
Author(s): Joseph E. Tanenbaum, Mark Votruba, Douglas Einstadter, Thomas E. Love, Randall D. Cebul
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 36(6), 1584–1590
Date: 06/2021
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Evaluation of the State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Round 2: Model Test Final Report
Final report on the Round 2 State Innovation Models (SIM) program across eleven participating states - Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Washington. Discusses the adoption of delivery models and payment reforms related to value-based payment (VBP) and alternative payment models (APMs). Examines whether the implementation efforts and healthcare delivery system reforms impacted the quality of care, health outcomes, population health, and spending.
Additional links: Appendix, Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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U.S. News Live Webinar: Curbing the Crisis in Rural Health
Recording of a June 22, 2021, webinar discussing challenges facing rural healthcare providers, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Describes how some rural providers are utilizing community partnerships, telehealth, and other innovations to meet the needs of their patients. Features representatives from the National Rural Health Association, the New Mexico Primary Care Training Consortium, and Louisiana's St. James Parish Hospital. Transcript available in video description.
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. News & World Report
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, June 2021
Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Discusses high-cost specialty drugs in the Medicaid program, access to mental health services for those enrolled in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), integration of physical and behavioral health care through electronic health records (EHRs), Medicaid's non-emergency transportation (NEMT) benefit, and state strategies for integrating care for people who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Poverty and Access to Internet, by County
Data visualization representing internet access via computers and smartphones, broadband access, and percentage of individuals in poverty at the county level.
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2021
Discusses results of a survey on broadband access and smartphone ownership. Presents data by sociodemographic characteristics, including rural/urban residence. Addresses internet connection issues, smartphone dependence, and cost issues.
Author(s): Andrew Perrin
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Hospital Capabilities to Enable Patient Electronic Access to Health Information, 2019
Reports on the percentage of U.S. hospitals that provide patients with electronic access to health information. Includes charts comparing types of electronic access; facility type including Critical Access, rural, and suburban-urban hospitals; and what types of information patients access.
Author(s): Christian Johnson, Wesley Barker
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Overview of the Universal Service Fund and Selected Federal Broadband Programs
Provides an overview of federal programs supporting broadband deployment. Highlights programs established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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