Washington Resources

Medicaid Real-Time Eligibility Determinations and Automated Renewals: Lessons for Medi-Cal from Colorado and Washington
Explores strategies used in Colorado and Washington to increase administrative efficiencies and reduce barriers for consumers renewing enrollment in or applying for state Medicaid programs. Includes special considerations for rural populations enrolling in Medicaid. Designed to inform the thinking of California policymakers and stakeholders as they implement changes to the state's Medicaid program.
Author(s): Jane Wishner, Ian Hill, Jeremy Marks, Sarah Thornburgh
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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A Model for Internal Medicine Physicians in a Small Rural Hospital
Describes a provider staffing model for rural hospitals that uses internal medicine physicians to provide inpatient care and to consult on outpatient care in Washington state. Describes the hospital setting, staffing needs, and lessons learned.
Author(s): Paul Bunge
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 18(3), 4419
Date: 08/2018
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Behavioral Health Integration and Workforce Development
Examines the need for states to assess behavioral health integration (BHI) workforce needs, identify legal and policy barriers to practice, and effectively train and retain BHI practitioners, especially in underserved areas. Includes case studies of programs in Washington, Nebraska, and Michigan, and lists of resources.
Author(s): Rachel Block
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Together We Stride: A Quasi-Experimental Trial Testing the Effectiveness of a Multi-Level Obesity Intervention for Hispanic Children in Rural Communities
Explores the effectiveness of Together We STRIDE (Strategizing Together Relevant Interventions for Diet and Exercise), a multi-level community-based intervention to promote healthy eating habits, physical activity, and weight loss among Hispanic children living in rural Lower Yakima Valley communities in Washington.
Author(s): Linda K. Ko, Eileen Rillamas-Sun, Sonia Bishop, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials, 67, 81-86
Date: 04/2018
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Washington Program Trains Dental Super-Generalists to Serve Rural Communities
Features the University of Washington School of Dentistry's Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program. Describes how the program is structured to create a "super-generalist" able to meet oral health needs in rural and underserved areas. Discusses the program's success placing graduates in rural locations.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Assessing the Impact of Washington State's Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care
Examines the oral health workforce and access to oral care in Washington state. Includes information on workforce demographics, rural and urban distribution of oral health providers, and difficulty recruiting dental hygienists and assistants in rural areas. Provides recommendations, policy changes, and potential solutions offered by oral health workforce interviewees.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Malaika R. Schwartz, Lisa Hager, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Promising Practice: Advisory Group in Washington State Works to Bring Palliative Care to Rural Patients
Describes the Palliative Care Rural Health Integration Advisory Team (PC-RHIAT) initiated by the Washington State Office of Rural Health (WA SORH), which aims to bring palliative care to rural patients through the use of telehealth and community engagement. The WA SORH facilitates this process by bringing experts in palliative care, rural health and telehealth, together with hospitals, clinics, and community team members to develop an action plan based in the rural community and within their healthcare organizations.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Behavioral Health Treatment Needs and Outcomes for Washington Counties
Provides county-level behavioral health data for Medicaid enrollees in Washington. Includes data breakdowns for those covered under Medicaid expansion, adults with disabilities, and by race/ethnicity and age group. Covers mental health, substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, criminal justice involvement, emergency department use, homelessness, and more.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
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Assessing Differences in the Availability of Opioid Addiction Therapy Options: Rural Versus Urban and American Indian Reservation Versus Non-Reservation
Examines differences in the number of opioid agonist therapy (OAT) facilities and physicians with Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) waivers in the state of Washington. Includes rural versus urban and tribal land versus non-tribal land comparisons.
Author(s): Katherine A. Hirchak, Sean M. Murphy
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 33(1), 102-109
Date: 01/2017
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New Partner Recruitment to Rural Versus Urban Ob-Gyn Practices: A Survey of Practicing Ob-Gyns
Discusses the results of a survey of obstetrics and gynecology practices in rural and urban areas located in 5 Northwestern states to examine their recruitment efforts. Information and data about their background, practice setting, partner recruitment, and retention was collected and analyzed, with comparisons noted between rural, suburban, and urban providers.
Author(s): Michael F. Fialkow, Carrie M. Snead, Jay Schulkin
Citation: Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, 2017(4)
Date: 2017
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