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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

COVID-19 and Rural Communities: Protecting Rural Lives and Health
Report examining the impact of COVID-19 in rural America, presenting data on case rates and mortality, prevalence in rural communities, and health conditions contributing to severe cases of COVID-19. Discusses issues of socioeconomic vulnerability, healthcare access, and public health compliance. Offers actions to address disparities, including increasing access, supporting livelihoods, and considering social determinants of health in healthcare planning.
Author(s): Jesse Bradford, Erica Coe, Kana Enomoto, Matt White
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: McKinsey & Company
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Innovations and Workforce Challenges for CAHs during COVID-19
Presents results from a survey of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on hospital operation and workforce adaptations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses innovative practices adopted by CAHs related to hospital processes and clinical care. Describes how CAHs overcame workforce challenges during COVID-19.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Keelia Silvis, Ira Moscovice
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Health Care Utilization and Outcomes Associated with Accidental Poisonous Mushroom Ingestions — United States, 2016–2018
Examines emergency department visits and hospitalizations associated with accidental poisonous mushroom ingestion. Includes data on ED visits in 2016 by location of patient residence for metropolitan areas and for micropolitan and noncore (rural) areas.
Author(s): Jeremy A.W. Gold, Emily Kiernan, Michael Yeh, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(10), 337-341
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Digital Divide: What Is It, Where Is It, and Federal Assistance Programs
Describes the availability of broadband internet access in the United States by state and across urban, rural, and tribal areas. Outlines federal programs to fund and support broadband infrastructure and deployment.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Medicare Hospital Payments: Adjusting for Variation in Geographic Area Wages
Provides an overview of the use of the hospital wage index applied to the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) to account for geographic differences in hospitals' labor costs. Discusses the effect of the wage index on Medicare payments for inpatient hospital services, exceptions to wage index adjustments, and proposals for wage index reforms.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Electricity Grid: Opportunities Exist for DOE to Better Support Utilities in Improving Resilience to Hurricanes
Examines the measures utilities selected states have adopted since 2012 to enhance grid resilience following major hurricanes, and the challenges utilities face in funding these measures. Describes federal efforts to enhance grid resilience to hurricanes, and challenges unique to rural utilities.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Extreme Weather Events - Perspectives & Safety Impacts in Agriculture
Highlights the experiences of agricultural workers and employers on the effect of extreme weather on the health and wellness of agricultural workers. Discusses the challenges and precautions of working in extreme heat, dust, and wildfires, among other elements.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
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The Distribution of the General Surgery Workforce in Rural and Urban America in 2019
Explores regional, rural-urban, and intra-rural differences in the supply of general surgeons, using 2019 data. Compares the 2019 findings to results of a similar analysis using 2001 data. Intended to give policymakers, workforce analysts, and medical educators an up-to-date picture of current and long-term trends in supply and distribution of the rural and urban general surgeon workforce. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, rural, large rural, and small rural locations.
Author(s): Eric H. Larson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, John Kearney, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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The Effect of Medicare Payment Standardization Methods on the Perceived Cost of Post-Acute Swing Bed Care in Critical Access Hospitals
Discusses the different payment systems the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) uses to reimburse for post-acute care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), prospective payment system (IPPS) hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Describes how the payment standardization methods may influence post-acute care discharge patterns and access to care for rural residents. Examines the effects of these payment methods on the perceived cost of CAH swing bed care as it relates to the Medicare Spending per Beneficiary performance measure.
Author(s): Tyler Malone, Denise Kirk, Kristin Reiter
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Trends in Heart Failure-Related Cardiovascular Mortality in Rural Versus Urban United States Counties, 2011–2018: A Cross-Sectional Study
Study comparing rates of cardiovascular disease in rural and urban areas at the county level. Analyzes CDC WONDER data on heart failure deaths related to cardiovascular disease between 2011 and 2018, comparing population demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, risk factor prevalence, and physician density. Discusses issues of access to care in rural areas with high rates of heart failure.
Author(s): Jacob B. Pierce, Nilay S. Shah, Lucia C. Petito, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 16(3), e0246813
Date: 03/2021
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