Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Telehealth
American Telemedicine Association: Telestroke Guidelines
Details guidelines for telestroke services to assist providers with the assessment, diagnosis, management, and/or remote consultative support for patients showing signs and symptoms of a stroke using real time videoconferencing technology.
Author(s): Bart M. Demaerschalk, Jill Berg, Brian W. Chong, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, 23(5), 376-389
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
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Details guidelines for telestroke services to assist providers with the assessment, diagnosis, management, and/or remote consultative support for patients showing signs and symptoms of a stroke using real time videoconferencing technology.
Author(s): Bart M. Demaerschalk, Jill Berg, Brian W. Chong, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, 23(5), 376-389
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
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Rural Promising Practice Issue Brief: Interdisciplinary Clinical Video - Telehealth for Geriatrics and Dementia
Highlights the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interdisciplinary telehealth program designed to help caregivers provide coordinated care for aging rural veterans suffering from dementia. Discusses the interdisciplinary team model comprised of social workers, geriatricians, primary care providers, and rural caregivers coordinating to maintain a uniform level of care. Includes outcomes regarding the increase of access to education and caregiver support, as well as the ability of providers to prescribe medication to rural patients.
Additional links: Overview
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Highlights the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interdisciplinary telehealth program designed to help caregivers provide coordinated care for aging rural veterans suffering from dementia. Discusses the interdisciplinary team model comprised of social workers, geriatricians, primary care providers, and rural caregivers coordinating to maintain a uniform level of care. Includes outcomes regarding the increase of access to education and caregiver support, as well as the ability of providers to prescribe medication to rural patients.
Additional links: Overview
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Substance Use in Rural Central Appalachia: Current Status and Treatment Considerations
Examines the factors in rural Central Appalachia that influence substance misuse and the treatments, strategies, and interventions to curb drug misuse and improve treatment outcomes. Discusses how the combination of poverty, work-related distress, lack of healthcare coverage, and the shortage of qualified providers of substance use treatments affect the need for a multifaceted policy approach in the region.
Author(s): Lara Moody, Emily Satterwhite, Warren K. Bickel
Citation: Rural Mental Health, 41(2), 123-135
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
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Examines the factors in rural Central Appalachia that influence substance misuse and the treatments, strategies, and interventions to curb drug misuse and improve treatment outcomes. Discusses how the combination of poverty, work-related distress, lack of healthcare coverage, and the shortage of qualified providers of substance use treatments affect the need for a multifaceted policy approach in the region.
Author(s): Lara Moody, Emily Satterwhite, Warren K. Bickel
Citation: Rural Mental Health, 41(2), 123-135
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
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Telepharmacy Rules and Statutes: A 50-State Survey
Policy brief identifying state-enacted regulations and legislation authorizing use of community telepharmacy initiatives, and describing implications for patients in underserved rural communities. Includes a table listing states with telepharmacy permitted in some capacity, pilot programs that enable telepharmacy initiatives, waivers enabling telepharmacy initiatives, or no rules or legislation authorizing telepharmacy use.
Additional links: Table Supplement
Author(s): George Tzanetakos, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Policy brief identifying state-enacted regulations and legislation authorizing use of community telepharmacy initiatives, and describing implications for patients in underserved rural communities. Includes a table listing states with telepharmacy permitted in some capacity, pilot programs that enable telepharmacy initiatives, waivers enabling telepharmacy initiatives, or no rules or legislation authorizing telepharmacy use.
Additional links: Table Supplement
Author(s): George Tzanetakos, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Health Care: Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring Use in Medicare and Selected Federal Programs
Examines factors affecting the provision of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) in Medicare and emerging payment and delivery models that could affect its future use. Analyzes data collected through review of agency documents and regulations, and interviews with officials representing 9 general and medical specialty associations familiar with telehealth. Includes state Medicaid reimbursement examples. Rural-specific implications are discussed throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines factors affecting the provision of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) in Medicare and emerging payment and delivery models that could affect its future use. Analyzes data collected through review of agency documents and regulations, and interviews with officials representing 9 general and medical specialty associations familiar with telehealth. Includes state Medicaid reimbursement examples. Rural-specific implications are discussed throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Using Telemedicine to Increase Access, Improve Care in Rural Communities
Examines Avera Health, an integrated delivery system based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to highlight how telehealth can be used to improve access in rural areas. Avera offers "eEmergency" telehealth services to more than 130 rural hospitals and "ePharmacy" services to roughly 75 rural hospitals, and other telehealth services. Discusses Avera's expansion into other areas where provider recruitment may be difficult, including prisons, schools, and long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Martha Hostetter
Citation: Transforming Care: Reporting on Health System Improvement
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Examines Avera Health, an integrated delivery system based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to highlight how telehealth can be used to improve access in rural areas. Avera offers "eEmergency" telehealth services to more than 130 rural hospitals and "ePharmacy" services to roughly 75 rural hospitals, and other telehealth services. Discusses Avera's expansion into other areas where provider recruitment may be difficult, including prisons, schools, and long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Martha Hostetter
Citation: Transforming Care: Reporting on Health System Improvement
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Anticipating Economic Returns of Rural Telehealth
Discusses the quantifiable and nonquantifiable benefits of utilizing telehealth services in rural areas across the U.S. Provides tables showing estimated savings on travel expenses, lost wages, and hospital costs by state. Outlines some of the challenges facing telehealth and makes recommendations for future improvements. Links to a video showing the author presenting portions of the paper at a Foundation for Rural Service event.
Additional links: Video Presentation
Author(s): Rick Schadelbauer
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Discusses the quantifiable and nonquantifiable benefits of utilizing telehealth services in rural areas across the U.S. Provides tables showing estimated savings on travel expenses, lost wages, and hospital costs by state. Outlines some of the challenges facing telehealth and makes recommendations for future improvements. Links to a video showing the author presenting portions of the paper at a Foundation for Rural Service event.
Additional links: Video Presentation
Author(s): Rick Schadelbauer
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Rural Promising Practice Issue Brief: GRECC Connect Project: Connecting Rural Providers with Geriatric Specialists Through Telemedicine
Describes the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs to support the rural elderly veteran population through implementation of telemedicine services originating at Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (GRECCs).
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Describes the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs to support the rural elderly veteran population through implementation of telemedicine services originating at Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (GRECCs).
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Third Annual Report: HCIA Disease-Specific Evaluation
Findings from the third year for 18 Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects targeting patient populations with specific diseases. Provides information on program effectiveness based on Medicare and Medicaid claims data and awardee-collected data. Includes projects that serve a variety of rural areas and address conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain. Approaches discussed include care coordination, education, and telehealth.
Additional links: Addendum, June 2017
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Findings from the third year for 18 Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects targeting patient populations with specific diseases. Provides information on program effectiveness based on Medicare and Medicaid claims data and awardee-collected data. Includes projects that serve a variety of rural areas and address conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain. Approaches discussed include care coordination, education, and telehealth.
Additional links: Addendum, June 2017
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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HCIA Complex/High-Risk Patient Targeting: Third Annual Report
Third annual evaluations of Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects focused on patients with medically complex conditions at high risk for hospitalization, re-hospitalization, emergency department visits, or nursing home stays. Presents program effectiveness findings based on Medicare and Medicaid claims data, surveys, site visits, and interviews. Several projects serve rural areas, offering caregiver education and support, telehealth services, and various care coordination approaches.
Additional links: Addendum, April 2017
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Third annual evaluations of Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects focused on patients with medically complex conditions at high risk for hospitalization, re-hospitalization, emergency department visits, or nursing home stays. Presents program effectiveness findings based on Medicare and Medicaid claims data, surveys, site visits, and interviews. Several projects serve rural areas, offering caregiver education and support, telehealth services, and various care coordination approaches.
Additional links: Addendum, April 2017
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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