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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Fact Sheet: Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration
Provides an overview of the Rural Community Hospital demonstration program. Describes reimbursement challenges that rural hospitals face and the early results of the program.
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Infection Control Deficiencies Were Widespread and Persistent in Nursing Homes Prior to COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores the prevalence of infection prevention and control deficiencies in nursing homes prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the percentage of nursing homes that had deficiencies cited in multiple years. Provides charts noting the number of nursing homes with an infection prevention and control deficiency by state. Includes a chart that presents the data by urban and rural status.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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What Commute Patterns Can Tell Us About the Supply of Allied Health Workers and Registered Nurses
Analyzes commuting patterns among people in 11 allied health occupations and 2 categories of registered nurses. Intended to help workforce planners understand the local supply of workers, measure productivity and the gain or loss in earnings due to increased commuting, and identify opportunities for benefits such as transportation subsidies. Discusses incentives that could be offered to rural nurses that might encourage them to seek work in their own communities. Features statistics on work characteristics, average wages, and average commute times among people in the occupations studied.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Arati Dahal, Susan M. Skillman, Davis G. Patterson, Bianca K. Frogner
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Hospital Burden of Opioid-Related Inpatient Stays: Metropolitan and Rural Hospitals, 2016
Examines burden on hospitals of opioid-related hospitalizations for metropolitan, rural-adjacent to metro, and rural remote hospitals. Includes data by region. Provides detailed information by urban-rural location, including information on the distribution of opioid-related stays, bed size, and occupancy level.
Author(s): Pamela L. Owens, Audrey J. Weiss, Marguerite L. Barrett
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Access to Medicare Part D Plans: A Comparison of Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas
Policy brief focusing on the types of Medicare Part D plans offered in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore locations. Offers comparisons between stand-alone plans and Medicare Advantage plans, in terms of premiums, benefits, and the manner in which these plans are offered.
Author(s): Mochamad Nataliansyah, Abiodun Salako, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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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
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
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
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
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
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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