Rural Healthcare Quality – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Quality.
Rural Health Quality: How CMS Initiatives Improve How We Measure and Address Gaps in Care
Recording of an April 2022 webinar regarding healthcare quality measurement in rural areas. Discusses measurement challenges in rural areas and how CMS is working to mitigate these issues. Presents resources and programs for rural providers to improve healthcare quality. Transcript is available by clicking the three dots above the video description, then selecting Show Transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Recording of an April 2022 webinar regarding healthcare quality measurement in rural areas. Discusses measurement challenges in rural areas and how CMS is working to mitigate these issues. Presents resources and programs for rural providers to improve healthcare quality. Transcript is available by clicking the three dots above the video description, then selecting Show Transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Codes of Care: How Words and Numbers Have Transformative Power for Rural Healthcare
Describes the process of translating clinical documentation into medical codes and the impact coding has on healthcare quality and population health. Highlights coding issues specific to rural settings. Also discusses graduate medical education efforts addressing clinical documentation and medical coding.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Describes the process of translating clinical documentation into medical codes and the impact coding has on healthcare quality and population health. Highlights coding issues specific to rural settings. Also discusses graduate medical education efforts addressing clinical documentation and medical coding.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Digital Quality Measurement Strategic Roadmap
Discusses how the interoperability of healthcare data from electronic health records can improve Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality measurement systems. Outlines actions in four domains - improving data quality, advancing technology, optimizing data aggregation, and enabling alignment of measures - to advance digital quality measurement.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Discusses how the interoperability of healthcare data from electronic health records can improve Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality measurement systems. Outlines actions in four domains - improving data quality, advancing technology, optimizing data aggregation, and enabling alignment of measures - to advance digital quality measurement.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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High-Performing Rural Health System
Update to the September 2011 RUPRI Health Panel document "The High Performance Rural Health Care System of the Future." Describes affordable and accessible healthcare for all rural residents through a sustainable system delivering high quality, high value services. Defines pillars of accessibility, affordability, community health, and quality.
Author(s): Andrew Coburn, Alva O. Ferdinand, Alana Knudson, et al.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Update to the September 2011 RUPRI Health Panel document "The High Performance Rural Health Care System of the Future." Describes affordable and accessible healthcare for all rural residents through a sustainable system delivering high quality, high value services. Defines pillars of accessibility, affordability, community health, and quality.
Author(s): Andrew Coburn, Alva O. Ferdinand, Alana Knudson, et al.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Rural Telehealth and Healthcare System Readiness Measurement Framework: Final Report
Presents a performance measurement framework to guide quality and performance improvement for healthcare services delivered via telehealth in rural areas in response to disasters. Covers five domains — access to care and technology; costs, business models, and logistics; experience; effectiveness; and equity — rural-specific measurement issues, and potential solutions. Includes recommendations for rural telehealth measurement for time-sensitive emergencies, public health emergencies, and disasters.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Presents a performance measurement framework to guide quality and performance improvement for healthcare services delivered via telehealth in rural areas in response to disasters. Covers five domains — access to care and technology; costs, business models, and logistics; experience; effectiveness; and equity — rural-specific measurement issues, and potential solutions. Includes recommendations for rural telehealth measurement for time-sensitive emergencies, public health emergencies, and disasters.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Medicare: Information on the Transition to Alternative Payment Models by Providers in Rural, Health Professional Shortage, or Underserved Areas
Describes the participation of providers in rural and health professional shortage areas in Advanced APMs from 2017 through 2019. Discusses challenges providers in rural, shortage, and underserved areas face in transitioning to APMs, as well as actions CMS takes to help these providers transition to APMs. Includes data by practice and provider type.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes the participation of providers in rural and health professional shortage areas in Advanced APMs from 2017 through 2019. Discusses challenges providers in rural, shortage, and underserved areas face in transitioning to APMs, as well as actions CMS takes to help these providers transition to APMs. Includes data by practice and provider type.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Measure Applications Partnership 2021-2022 Considerations for Measure Set Removal in Federal Programs: Final Report
Describes the Measure Set Review (MSR) process and the consideration of quality measures for potential removal from Medicare quality programs. Summarizes the National Quality Foundation (NQF) Coordinating Committee discussion and public input on selected hospital quality measures, including the impact of these measures on rural providers. Offers future considerations for the MSR process.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Describes the Measure Set Review (MSR) process and the consideration of quality measures for potential removal from Medicare quality programs. Summarizes the National Quality Foundation (NQF) Coordinating Committee discussion and public input on selected hospital quality measures, including the impact of these measures on rural providers. Offers future considerations for the MSR process.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Medicare: Provider Performance and Experiences Under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System
Examines Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance category scores, final scores, and payment adjustments from performance years 2017 through 2019. Summarizes interviews with 11 stakeholder groups and identifies strengths and challenges of the MIPS program. Presents data on MIPS performance scores and related payment adjustments by practice size, geographic location, method of participation, and specialty.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance category scores, final scores, and payment adjustments from performance years 2017 through 2019. Summarizes interviews with 11 stakeholder groups and identifies strengths and challenges of the MIPS program. Presents data on MIPS performance scores and related payment adjustments by practice size, geographic location, method of participation, and specialty.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Measurement Recommendations Report
Provides an overview of two measurement frameworks, one for maternal morbidity and one for maternal mortality. Includes a list of short- and long-term recommendations for each measurement topic, which cover equitable treatment; timely access to treatment and services; follow-up and care coordination of care; protocols and guidelines; substance use disorders, mental health, and behavioral health; access to pain management and labor support; and patient- and family-reported outcomes and experiences of care. Discusses three potential, actionable measure concepts for maternal mortality.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Provides an overview of two measurement frameworks, one for maternal morbidity and one for maternal mortality. Includes a list of short- and long-term recommendations for each measurement topic, which cover equitable treatment; timely access to treatment and services; follow-up and care coordination of care; protocols and guidelines; substance use disorders, mental health, and behavioral health; access to pain management and labor support; and patient- and family-reported outcomes and experiences of care. Discusses three potential, actionable measure concepts for maternal mortality.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Place Matters: Closing the Gap on Rural Primary Care Quality Improvement Capacity - The Healthy Hearts Northwest Study
Compares the primary care practices in rural and urban settings in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Looks at quality improvement capacity, performance metrics, and workforce issues, among other measures.
Author(s): Lyle J. Fagnan, Katrina Ramsey, Caitlin Dickinson, et al.
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34 (4), 753-761
Date: 07/2021
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Compares the primary care practices in rural and urban settings in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Looks at quality improvement capacity, performance metrics, and workforce issues, among other measures.
Author(s): Lyle J. Fagnan, Katrina Ramsey, Caitlin Dickinson, et al.
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34 (4), 753-761
Date: 07/2021
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Last Updated: 1/24/2025