Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Technology for health and human services
On the Edge: Cybersecurity Health of America's Resource-Constrained Health Providers Findings and Recommendations
Summarizes insights on cybersecurity risks and concerns from leaders of resource-constrained healthcare facilities, including rural hospitals and clinics. Discusses risk mitigation strategies used, readiness, and past experience with cybersecurity incidents. Includes recommendations to government and community partners to support preparedness, incident response, and compliance with cybersecurity rules.
Author(s): Cybersecurity Working Group
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC)
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Summarizes insights on cybersecurity risks and concerns from leaders of resource-constrained healthcare facilities, including rural hospitals and clinics. Discusses risk mitigation strategies used, readiness, and past experience with cybersecurity incidents. Includes recommendations to government and community partners to support preparedness, incident response, and compliance with cybersecurity rules.
Author(s): Cybersecurity Working Group
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC)
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Securing a Better Future for Rural Health
Slides presented at the 2025 National Rural Health Association Annual Conference summarizing findings from a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Slides presented at the 2025 National Rural Health Association Annual Conference summarizing findings from a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Community Health Centers: Leading Innovation in Health Care
Presents graphs, charts, and data highlighting services provided by Community Health Centers, characteristics of the patients served, and progress made in improving access to healthcare. Reports on health centers' historical growth and recent trends, financial health, healthcare screening and disease prevention, management of chronic diseases, maternal and child health, workforce and service utilization, health information technology, and more. Includes urban-rural comparisons and maps with data by state throughout.
Author(s): Sarah Hurlbert, Mahima Singeetham, Amy Flowers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Presents graphs, charts, and data highlighting services provided by Community Health Centers, characteristics of the patients served, and progress made in improving access to healthcare. Reports on health centers' historical growth and recent trends, financial health, healthcare screening and disease prevention, management of chronic diseases, maternal and child health, workforce and service utilization, health information technology, and more. Includes urban-rural comparisons and maps with data by state throughout.
Author(s): Sarah Hurlbert, Mahima Singeetham, Amy Flowers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application Guide
Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Syndromic Surveillance in Tribal Health: Perspectives from Three Tribal Epidemiology Centers on Access and Utilization
Discusses the use of syndromic surveillance by Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) to monitor and communicate health needs and support effective public health response in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Highlights implementation and policy barriers to successful syndromic surveillance and suggests strategies for more effective state and tribal collaboration and data use.
Author(s): Cheng Wang, Lowrie Ward, Nicole Holdaway Smith
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(5), 664
Date: 04/2025
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Discusses the use of syndromic surveillance by Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) to monitor and communicate health needs and support effective public health response in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Highlights implementation and policy barriers to successful syndromic surveillance and suggests strategies for more effective state and tribal collaboration and data use.
Author(s): Cheng Wang, Lowrie Ward, Nicole Holdaway Smith
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(5), 664
Date: 04/2025
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Broadband Programs: Agencies Need to Further Improve Their Data Quality and Coordination Efforts
Examines federal agencies' use of broadband availability information and the extent to which the Federal Communications Commission ensures the quality of data in its National Broadband Map. Explores the extent to which agencies' coordination of broadband funding programs aligns with leading practices for interagency collaboration, among other issues. Compares the FCC's practices for ensuring the quality of information in its National Broadband Map against relevant federal internal control standards.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines federal agencies' use of broadband availability information and the extent to which the Federal Communications Commission ensures the quality of data in its National Broadband Map. Explores the extent to which agencies' coordination of broadband funding programs aligns with leading practices for interagency collaboration, among other issues. Compares the FCC's practices for ensuring the quality of information in its National Broadband Map against relevant federal internal control standards.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Future of Rural Health: Report on a Special Convening Held November 19-20, 2024
Summarizes discussions held during a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts that aimed to identify the needs of the rural health communities, build on existing strengths, and develop a cohesive approach to improving the health of rural residents. Describes the themes and policy options that emerged throughout the summit. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Rural Policy Research Institute, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, West Health Institute
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Summarizes discussions held during a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts that aimed to identify the needs of the rural health communities, build on existing strengths, and develop a cohesive approach to improving the health of rural residents. Describes the themes and policy options that emerged throughout the summit. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Rural Policy Research Institute, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, West Health Institute
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April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Innovative Rural Hospitals Think Beyond Tradition to Improve Access to Care
Provides examples of how rural hospitals are utilizing technology to improve access to care for their patients. Discusses artificial intelligence (AI), drone delivery of medicines, nurse-run telehealth hubs, and digital front doors.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Provides examples of how rural hospitals are utilizing technology to improve access to care for their patients. Discusses artificial intelligence (AI), drone delivery of medicines, nurse-run telehealth hubs, and digital front doors.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Title
Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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