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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Telehealth

Telemedicine and Primary Care Obesity Management in Rural Areas – Innovative Approach for Older Adults?
Explores telemedicine as a potential delivery tool for the Medicare Obesity Benefit in primary care settings. Describes challenges in implementing the benefit in rural areas, including increasing older adult populations, shortages in primary care and specialized healthcare providers, reimbursement issues, and transportation barriers. Presents the potential utility of telemedicine in rural obesity care and non-physician staff delivery options, which require regulatory changes.
Author(s): John Batsis, Sarah Pletcher, James Stahl
Citation: BMC Geriatrics, 17, 6
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
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Delivering CBT to Rural Latino Children with Anxiety Disorders: A Qualitative Study
Examines perceptions of different methods of providing cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) that could increase access to care for anxiety in rural Latino youth. Compares telephone based, bibliotherapy, and therapist supported bibliotherapy from both the viewpoint of Latino parents and mental health providers.
Author(s): Denise A. Chavira, Cristina E. Bustos, Maritza S. Garcia, Bernardo Ng, Alvaro Camacho
Citation: Community Mental Health Journal, 53(1), 53-61
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
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Evaluating the HCIA - Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse Awards: Third Annual Report
Third annual evaluations of 10 Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects focused on mental health and substance abuse services. Awardee-specific chapters focus on program objectives, implementation experiences, and participant outcomes. Programs include HealthLinkNow, which uses telehealth to provide behavioral care services in rural areas, and the Prevention and Recovery in Early Psychosis Program, which was expanded to serve to rural counties in California.
Additional links: Addendum, July 2017
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Remote Eye Care Screening for Rural Veterans with Technology-Based Eye Care Services: A Quality Improvement Project
Highlights the improvement in access to eye care and screening services for veterans as a result of the Technology-based Eye Care Services (TECS), a quality improvement project developed by the Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA). Provides data on patient demographics, eye care service, and diagnoses broken down by Rural Urban Commuting Area.
Author(s): April Maa, Barbara Wojciechowski, Kelly Hunt, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 17(1), 4045
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
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Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) in Multiple Sclerosis: Increasing Clinician Capacity
Reports on a pilot program conducted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and faculty from the University of Washington School of Medicine using the Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) model. Determines if the Project Echo model was a viable option to support the capacity of clinicians in rural areas to effectively treat patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in underserved areas.
Author(s): Kurt L. Johnson, Deborah Hertz, Gary Stobbe, et al.
Citation: International Journal of MS Care, 9(6), 283–289
Date: 2017
Type: Document
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The Imperative for Strategic Workforce Planning And Development: Challenges and Opportunities
Discusses workforce planning and development efforts in rural hospitals, as well as other key topics that present challenges and opportunities in workforce recruitment and retention, such as diversity, the shortage of behavioral health professionals, technology, and more. Covers three rural specific examples that expand access to healthcare services through telehealth services and a rural residency matching incentive programs.
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Bridging Gaps in Mental Health Care: Lessons Learned from the Welcome Back Veterans Initiative
Details a study on the role of privately funded programs filling in the gaps between the Military Health System (MHS), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and civilian healthcare providers in providing mental healthcare to veterans returning from deployment.
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Family Physicians Report Considerable Interest in, but Limited Use of, Telehealth Services
Describes a study exploring whether and how 1,557 family physicians had used telehealth services in primary care situations in 2014. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural practice locations.
Author(s): Miranda A. Moore, Megan Coffman, Anuradha Jetty, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 30(3), 320-330
Date: 2017
Type: Document
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Rural Maryland Council Health Care Committee Executive Summary, 2015-2016
Report on the work of the Rural Maryland Health Care Committee for 2015-2016. Includes meeting agendas and minutes, presentation slides, discussion of white papers, correspondence, and focused topics such as telehealth and telepsychiatry. The focus of the committee during this biennium was mental and behavioral health in school age children.
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Maryland Council
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Case Studies of 6 Teledentistry Programs: Strategies to Increase Access to General and Specialty Dental Services
Describes the delivery of teledentistry services by six provider organizations with different organizational structures. Discusses teledentistry as a method for improving rural access to oral health services. Identifies common themes, including the benefits of and barriers to teledentistry.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Margaret Langelier, Carol Rodat, Jean Moore
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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