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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Veterans

The Rural Veteran Outreach Toolkit
Toolkit focuses on increasing partnerships between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and rural communities with the goal of improving the quality of life for veterans who live in rural communities. Describes the veteran outreach model, presents data on rural veterans, and provides a community workbook.
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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A Comparison of Collaborative Care Outcomes in Two Health Care Systems: VA Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers
Compares merged data from two different collaborative care trials: Telemedicine-Enhanced Antidepressant Management (TEAM) evaluating collaborative care for veterans with depression at a Veterans Affairs (VA) community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs); and Outreach Using Telemedicine for Rural Enhanced Access in Community Health (OUTREACH) evaluating collaborative care for civilians with depression at Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs). Aim of study is to determine whether there are any significant differences in outcomes between the two population groups from each of the trials. Studies were conducted in the rural South.
Author(s): Kathleen M. Grubbs, John C. Fortney, Jeffrey Pyne, et al.
Citation: Psychiatric Services, 69(4), 431-437
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
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The Veterans Choice Program (VCP): Program Implementation
Presents a report on the implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Veterans Choice Program (VCP) as a way to increase access to care for veterans. Discusses veteran eligibility and care options within the program, provider participation, and the processing of payments.
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Veterans Health Administration: Opportunities Exist for Improving Veterans' Access to Health Care Services in the Pacific Islands
Details opportunities for veterans to access healthcare in the Pacific Islands. Discusses barriers to care, such as long travel distances, and the use of telehealth and the Choice Program as methods of improving access.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Intensive Referral to Mutual-Help Groups: A Field Trial of Adaptations for Rural Veterans
Highlights a study on the effect of mutual help groups (MHGs) on outcomes for rural veterans with substance use disorder within the VA's Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Breaks down data by age, race, and substance use, among other factors.
Author(s): Kathleen M. Grant, Lance Brendan Young, Kimberly A. Tyler, et al.
Citation: Patient Education and Counseling, 101(1), 79-84
Date: 01/2018
Type: Document
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Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services
Report by a committee of experts detailing veterans' ability to access mental health services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Analyzes access to care, quality of care, and current barriers to both. Presents effective and efficient models for providing mental healthcare to veterans. Mentions rural throughout the report.
Additional links: Key Findings and Recommendations, Read Online
Author(s): Committee to Evaluate the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services
Date: 01/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Telemedicine in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes
Describes a study in which 32 patients with type 1 diabetes who live in rural Alabama and Georgia received endocrinology care from an Atlanta telehealth clinic, from June 2014 to October 2016. Includes demographic statistics on patients and presence of other diseases and medical conditions.
Author(s): Timothy Xu, Shreya Pujara, Sarah Sutton, Mary Rhee
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 15
Date: 01/2018
Type: Document
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Integrating Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs Purchased Care: Preliminary Feasibility Assessment
Examines the feasibility of integrating the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare systems. Explores the potential impact on healthcare access, quality, and costs for beneficiaries, addressing implications for rural areas throughout. Discusses changes that would need to be made at a legislative, policy, and contractual level if an integrated purchased care program was implemented.
Author(s): Carrie M. Farmer, Terri Tanielian, Christine Buttorff, et al.
Date: 2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Availability of Healthcare Providers for Rural Veterans Eligible for Purchased Care under the Veterans Choice Act
Highlights a study on the utilization of the Veterans Choice Act, specifically rurality of veterans eligible to purchase non-VHA healthcare. Details the role VHA facilities continue to play in providing healthcare to veterans who qualify for Veterans Choice.
Author(s): Michael E. Ohl, Margaret Carrell, Andrew Thurman, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 18(1)
Date: 2018
Type: Document
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Rural Suicide: One California County's Fight to Save Lives
Series of articles exploring the causes for high rates of suicide in rural areas of Northern California, including Amador, Calaveras, and Mariposa counties. Topics include shortages of mental health professionals and the higher risk of suicide among veterans and Native Americans.
Author(s): Sammy Caiola
Date: 2018
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Capital Public Radio
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