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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

High Risk: Progress Made but Continued Attention Needed to Address Management Weaknesses at Federal Agencies Serving Indian Tribes
Identifies progress made and areas that still need to be addressed to remove the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Indian Health Service (IHS) from the Government Accountability Office's list of high risk federal programs. Addresses leadership commitment, demonstrated progress, action plans, monitoring, and capacity. Appendix III lists open recommendations for IHS.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Pender Community Hospital Uses SRHT Project to Propel Forward
Highlights a Critical Access Hospital in Nebraska that participated in a Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) project focused on discharge issues, electronic health record improvements, and Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) status for system clinics. Discusses project implementation, hospital culture, and project outcomes.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Understanding the County Role in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Describes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in terms of its role in the country's social safety-net and the ways counties help fund SNAP services to support low-income residents. Examines disparities in food insecurity between urban and rural areas, and features a county-level map showing food insecurity rates as of 2016. Also describes how SNAP supports local businesses and economies, and helps maintain food access in rural counties.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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Implementation and Early Results of the Flex Program's Innovative Models Program Area: Final Evaluation Report
Reports on the implementation of the Flex Program and the integration of the Innovative Health Care Models (Innovative Projects) program area in 7 states focused on telehealth, care coordination, and quality improvement. Highlights lessons learned, program discussion, and the evaluation methods for each of the projects. Builds on a 2018 briefing paper, An Interim Evaluation Report of the Innovative Projects Portfolio of the Medicare Flex Grant Program.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Andrew Coburn
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Best Practices and Barriers to Engaging People with Substance Use Disorders in Treatment
Reports on a study of how health plans are successfully engaging people in substance use disorder treatment for alcohol, opioids, and other substances. Discusses how initiation and engagement can be improved for commercial and Medicaid health insurance plans. Addresses rural factors throughout.
Author(s): Peggy O'Brien, Erika Crable, Catherine Fullerton, Lauren Hughey
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Planning and Partnerships: Coordinating Rural Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Response
Discusses how rural healthcare facilities can prepare for natural and man-made disasters, the need for flexibility, and the importance of learning from others' experiences. Includes examples of rural communities and providers responding to a tornado in Iowa, an earthquake in Alaska, and an armed hostage standoff in South Dakota.
Author(s): Tami Lichtenberg
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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5 Strategies Rural Hospitals Are Using to Bolster Their Workforce
Provides examples from rural hospitals and health systems of how they are addressing workforce development and planning. Highlights Rural Training Tracks (RTT), grow your own programs, telehealth, behavioral health integration, and care teams including nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Pain in the Nation Update: While Deaths from Alcohol, Drugs, and Suicide Slowed Slightly in 2017, Rates Are Still at Historic Highs
Issue brief details updated rates of deaths related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide from 2016-2017. Breaks down data by age, and regionally, including rural versus metro areas.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Promising Practice: Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health Puts Focus on Rural Human Trafficking
Discusses ways in which the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health is raising awareness and bringing attention to the issue of human trafficking in rural areas.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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How Affordable Are 2019 ACA Premiums for Middle-Income People?
Examines the cost of health insurance premiums for plans available through Affordable Care Act Exchanges and discusses the implications for rural areas. Includes an interactive map showing differences in insurance cost by county, income, and age.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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