Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Telehealth
Addressing Workforce Challenges Across the Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Provider-to-Provider Telemedicine for Sepsis Is Used Less Frequently in Communities with High Social Vulnerability
Examines the relationship between provider-to-provider emergency department-based telehealth consultation (tele-ED) and the prevalence of sepsis in counties with elevated social vulnerability index (SVI) scores. Analyzes 2016-2019 data from 1191 patients treated in rural, Midwestern EDs, with breakdowns according to patient, provider, hospital, and county characteristics. Discusses the relationship between SVI scores and tele-ED use.
Author(s): Kevin J. Tu, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E. Okoro, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12861
Date: 2025
Type: Document
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Examines the relationship between provider-to-provider emergency department-based telehealth consultation (tele-ED) and the prevalence of sepsis in counties with elevated social vulnerability index (SVI) scores. Analyzes 2016-2019 data from 1191 patients treated in rural, Midwestern EDs, with breakdowns according to patient, provider, hospital, and county characteristics. Discusses the relationship between SVI scores and tele-ED use.
Author(s): Kevin J. Tu, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E. Okoro, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12861
Date: 2025
Type: Document
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Telehealth Access Points (TAPs) Best Practices Guide
Outlines how communities can create Telehealth Access Points (TAPs), public spaces where individuals can access telehealth appointments. Highlights equipment needed, sanitization procedures, scheduling tools, building community partnerships, and more. Includes links to information about different TAP models and additional resources.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Outlines how communities can create Telehealth Access Points (TAPs), public spaces where individuals can access telehealth appointments. Highlights equipment needed, sanitization procedures, scheduling tools, building community partnerships, and more. Includes links to information about different TAP models and additional resources.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Extended Reality Telehealth for Rural Spaces
Discusses how extended reality technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive mixed reality, can be used in physical and occupational therapy, mental healthcare, elder care, and veterans healthcare services. Describes potential barriers to implementing extended reality telehealth practices, focusing on rural providers and facilities. Highlights examples of rural broadband and healthcare providers collaborating to implement telehealth services.
Author(s): Joshua Seidemann
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Discusses how extended reality technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive mixed reality, can be used in physical and occupational therapy, mental healthcare, elder care, and veterans healthcare services. Describes potential barriers to implementing extended reality telehealth practices, focusing on rural providers and facilities. Highlights examples of rural broadband and healthcare providers collaborating to implement telehealth services.
Author(s): Joshua Seidemann
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Racial and Ethnic and Rural Variations in the Use of Hybrid Prenatal Care in the US
Examines how factors of race/ethnicity, location, and telehealth restriction waivers during COVID-19 impact the uptake of hybrid prenatal care. Provides demographic breakdowns related to telehealth use of women during pregnancy and the COVID-19 public health emergency, with additional data on health conditions, U.S. region, and urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Jiani Yu, Sayward E. Harrison, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(12)
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Examines how factors of race/ethnicity, location, and telehealth restriction waivers during COVID-19 impact the uptake of hybrid prenatal care. Provides demographic breakdowns related to telehealth use of women during pregnancy and the COVID-19 public health emergency, with additional data on health conditions, U.S. region, and urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Jiani Yu, Sayward E. Harrison, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(12)
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Understanding the Optimal Balance of Using Telehealth and In-person Services to Support Adults with Serious Mental Illness and Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance
Explores the balance between telehealth and in-person care for serious mental illness (SMI) and children with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Summarizes findings from an environmental scan and focus groups with mental health providers, adults with SMI, and parents of children with SED. Discusses how focus group participants made decisions about using telehealth versus in-person mental healthcare and how telehealth impacted access to care and engagement in treatment relative to in-person services.
Author(s): Jasmine Little, Megan Dormond, Sarah Croake, et al.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Explores the balance between telehealth and in-person care for serious mental illness (SMI) and children with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Summarizes findings from an environmental scan and focus groups with mental health providers, adults with SMI, and parents of children with SED. Discusses how focus group participants made decisions about using telehealth versus in-person mental healthcare and how telehealth impacted access to care and engagement in treatment relative to in-person services.
Author(s): Jasmine Little, Megan Dormond, Sarah Croake, et al.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Identifying Factors Associated With Variation in Telemental Health Delivery at Federally Qualified Health Centers
Examines telemental health delivery at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the U.S. Analyzes 1,270 FQHCs and their telemental appointments in 2021 and provides statistics according to mental health staffing, rurality of FQHC, state, and patient population descriptors, including age, race/ethnicity, and insurance status.
Author(s): Brianna Lombardi, Connor Sullivan, Maria Gaiser, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Examines telemental health delivery at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the U.S. Analyzes 1,270 FQHCs and their telemental appointments in 2021 and provides statistics according to mental health staffing, rurality of FQHC, state, and patient population descriptors, including age, race/ethnicity, and insurance status.
Author(s): Brianna Lombardi, Connor Sullivan, Maria Gaiser, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Ever Use of Telehealth in Nebraska by March 2021: Cross-Sectional Analysis
Analyzes telehealth usage in Nebraska according to sociodemographic variables as well as health status and healthcare access. Analyzes survey data from 1,101 respondents and discusses the impact of the digital divide, age, and race/ethnicity on telehealth use in a mostly rural state.
Author(s): Lisa C Smith, George Johnson, Snehal Jadhav, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Analyzes telehealth usage in Nebraska according to sociodemographic variables as well as health status and healthcare access. Analyzes survey data from 1,101 respondents and discusses the impact of the digital divide, age, and race/ethnicity on telehealth use in a mostly rural state.
Author(s): Lisa C Smith, George Johnson, Snehal Jadhav, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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RHC Regulatory Changes in 2025 - Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Updates You Need to Know!
Recording of a November 18, 2024, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2025. Covers Medicare vaccine reimbursement changes, the elimination of productivity standards, lab requirement changes, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, telehealth regulations, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a November 18, 2024, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2025. Covers Medicare vaccine reimbursement changes, the elimination of productivity standards, lab requirement changes, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, telehealth regulations, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2024
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2024. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2024. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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