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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Broadband Connectivity and COVID-19: The FCC's Response
Describes the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) response to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically regarding internet access and network reliability. Outlines waived regulations and extended deadlines for several programs, including the Rural Health Care program.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Delivery of VA Telehealth Services During COVID-19
Provides an overview of veterans' access to telehealth services provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the funding opportunities through the CARES Act and the Connected Care Pilot Program that aim to assist veterans with obtaining telehealth-related infrastructure during the pandemic.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Telehealth and Patient Safety During the COVID-19 Response
Discusses the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and presents safety protocols to transition care from telehealth to in-person treatment. Looks at the ways telehealth is used as a substitute for regular visits, as well as for monitoring the virus.
Author(s): Neal Sikka, Joel Willis, Eleanor Fitall, et al.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Patient Safety Network
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Community Impact and Benefit Activities of Critical Access, Other Rural, and Urban Hospitals, 2018
Examines the economic and healthcare benefit of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on rural communities. Looks at services provided, economic health of CAHs, and the effect this has on their communities broadly. Includes national and state-level comparisons of service indicators provided by CAHs and other rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Zachariah Croll, John Gale, Connor Huggins
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Pain in the Nation Update: Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths in 2018
Report details updated rates of deaths related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide for 2018. Breaks down data by race, age, and regionally, including rural versus metro areas.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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COVID-19's Current Impact on Rural Healthcare Delivery: Q&A with Brock Slabach
An interview with Brock Slabach, the National Rural Health Association's Senior Vice President for Member Services. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on rural healthcare facilities, policy changes impacting rural providers, collaboration among rural communities to help share solutions, and the use of telehealth during the pandemic.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS for FY 2021
Comments on an April 21, 2020, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2021. Includes comments on the adoption of the Office of Management and Budget's geographic area delineations to determine wage index values.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America's Heartland
Examines rural transportation challenges, including decreased state transportation revenues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, higher traffic fatality rates compared to urban settings, poor road and bridge conditions, and more. Comments on the importance of rural transportation for the nation's economy, emphasizing its role in transferring goods and helping rural communities access healthcare, education, job opportunities, and social services.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Transportation Research Nonprofit (TRIP)
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High COVID-19 Attack Rate Among Attendees at Events at a Church — Arkansas, March 2020
Reports on the spread of COVID-19 in a rural Arkansas church in March 2020, as well as spread within the community that was linked to the church.
Author(s): Allison James, Lesli Eagle, Cassandra Phillips, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(20), 632-635
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Partnering for Impact: Early Insights from the Accountable Health Communities Model
Provides an overview of the November 11-12, 2019, CMS Accountable Health Communities (AHC) meeting. Summarizes sessions on engaging with Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries with unique needs, AHC models, addressing service gaps in quality improvement plans, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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