In-depth stories examining key rural health issues.
July 11, 2018
Obstetric services were available in 205 fewer rural hospitals in 2014 than in 2004. Realizing the importance of maternity and childbirth services, a CAH in Alaska works to keep its providers' skills sharp and a rural OB-GYN residency program in Wisconsin is beginning to train a new generation of physicians.
June 27, 2018
Moving the conversation away from finances, advocates share why general surgery plays an important role in a comprehensive rural population health strategy by delivering the right care in the right place at the right time.
May 30, 2018
Super-utilizers are those patients who are hospitalized multiple times each year and, due to circumstances outside their control, are unable to make the changes needed to keep them out of the ER. Three rural Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are working on reducing these readmissions and improving their super-utilizers' health.
May 16, 2018
Across the country, recruitment and retention challenges are common for rural healthcare entities providing post-acute care. Healthcare leaders share practical examples that have created incentive for staff to join, and stay on, their healthcare teams.
May 2, 2018
Post-acute care (PAC) services available locally can make fully recovering from a serious illness or injury faster and easier, setting the patient and provider up for the best possible outcome. This article looks at how a tertiary facility's communication with skilled nursing facilities, a Critical Access Hospital's swing bed program, and a home health agency are improving patient transitions from acute care to PAC.
April 18, 2018
Two healthcare organizations demonstrate how the social determinants of health and social risk assessment can be used as a framework for transforming a rural "health delivery system to a true health system."
March 21, 2018
An important aspect of the opioid crisis is opioid use disorder. This in-depth story focuses on the science behind the disorder and the use of an evidence-based treatment: MAT, or medication-assisted treatment.
February 7, 2018
Limited funding, expanding coverage areas, and a cultural shift in volunteerism across generations has motivated EMS leaders to find new recruitment methods that attract more personnel and keep them as long as possible.
January 24, 2018
In addition to providing advice for those with potential interest in rural healthcare executive positions, four Critical Access Hospitals leaders – all under age 40 – share stories of innovation and impact on their organizations and communities.
November 29, 2017
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2017 MMWR Rural Series has featured several reports highlighting rural unintentional injuries as one of the top 5 leading causes of death. What are these "unintentional injuries"? How often are rural residents killed by them? Here's a look at the three leading causes of rural unintentional injuries.
