Healthcare Access in Rural Communities – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Healthcare Access in Rural Communities.
Barriers to Health Care Access for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries: Recommendations from Rural Health Clinics
Presents findings from an online survey of Rural Health Clinics, describing barriers for Medicare patients in accessing healthcare services. Includes recommendations for improving access to care for rural Medicare beneficiaries.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Carrie Henning-Smith, Adrita Rahman, Ashley M. Hernandez
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Presents findings from an online survey of Rural Health Clinics, describing barriers for Medicare patients in accessing healthcare services. Includes recommendations for improving access to care for rural Medicare beneficiaries.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Carrie Henning-Smith, Adrita Rahman, Ashley M. Hernandez
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Bright Spots: Case Studies in Innovative Rural Healthcare
Profiles 8 rural healthcare facilities and communities that successfully addressed issues regarding access to healthcare and explores commonalities across the case studies. Describes how these initiatives optimize leadership, cultural transformation, data utilization, rural maternity care, and external partnerships.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: A&M Rural and Community Health Institute
view details
Profiles 8 rural healthcare facilities and communities that successfully addressed issues regarding access to healthcare and explores commonalities across the case studies. Describes how these initiatives optimize leadership, cultural transformation, data utilization, rural maternity care, and external partnerships.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: A&M Rural and Community Health Institute
view details
Identification of Rural Communities with Limited Access to Safety Net Health Care Providers
Fact sheet examining rural access to core safety net providers using 2017 data. Offers a county-level map of rural counties depicting distribution of Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Discusses rural health needs in relation to access to facilities in their counties.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
Fact sheet examining rural access to core safety net providers using 2017 data. Offers a county-level map of rural counties depicting distribution of Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Discusses rural health needs in relation to access to facilities in their counties.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
Implementing High-Quality Primary Care: Rebuilding the Foundation of Health Care
Examines the current state of primary care in the United States, and describes an implementation plan to strengthen high-quality primary care. Discusses value-based care and reimbursement, access to care, primary care workforce recruitment and training, and the role of health information technology. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
view details
Examines the current state of primary care in the United States, and describes an implementation plan to strengthen high-quality primary care. Discusses value-based care and reimbursement, access to care, primary care workforce recruitment and training, and the role of health information technology. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
view details
Rural Hospital Closures: Affected Residents Had Reduced Access to Health Care Services
Examines the effects of rural hospital closures on rural residents. Discusses the distance residents in the service areas of closed facilities had to travel to access common healthcare services between 2012 and 2018, as well as the availability of providers over time. Compares the health status of Medicare beneficiaries in services areas with and without hospital closures.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Examines the effects of rural hospital closures on rural residents. Discusses the distance residents in the service areas of closed facilities had to travel to access common healthcare services between 2012 and 2018, as well as the availability of providers over time. Compares the health status of Medicare beneficiaries in services areas with and without hospital closures.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
How Might Internet Connectivity Affect Health Care Access?
Describes how a lack of internet access may negatively impact access to healthcare. Features data and statistics on internet access, with information broken down by race/ethnicity, age, poverty level, insurance status and type, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location. Discusses COVID-19 and how social distancing measures have led to increased implementation of telehealth, resulting in additional challenges accessing healthcare among people with little to no internet connectivity.
Author(s): Krutika Amin, Matthew Rae, Giorlando Ramirez, Cynthia Cox
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Describes how a lack of internet access may negatively impact access to healthcare. Features data and statistics on internet access, with information broken down by race/ethnicity, age, poverty level, insurance status and type, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location. Discusses COVID-19 and how social distancing measures have led to increased implementation of telehealth, resulting in additional challenges accessing healthcare among people with little to no internet connectivity.
Author(s): Krutika Amin, Matthew Rae, Giorlando Ramirez, Cynthia Cox
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Improve Maternal Health
Describes the state of maternal health in the United States, including data and statistics on mortality and morbidity. Discusses risks to maternal health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, intimate partner violence, and more. Recommends strategies and actions that individuals, organizations, and communities can implement to improve maternal health and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Describes the state of maternal health in the United States, including data and statistics on mortality and morbidity. Discusses risks to maternal health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, intimate partner violence, and more. Recommends strategies and actions that individuals, organizations, and communities can implement to improve maternal health and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America
Action plan outlining steps the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking to reduce maternal mortality and address disparities that endanger women before, during, and following pregnancy. Four main goals include: improving prevention and treatment services to promote positive health outcomes for every woman of reproductive age; prioritizing quality improvement efforts to support healthy pregnancies and births; improving postpartum health; and enhancing data and research to inform future interventions. Includes data and statistics on maternal health and morbidity, and addresses rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Dawn Alley, Andre Chappel, Nancy De Lew, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Action plan outlining steps the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking to reduce maternal mortality and address disparities that endanger women before, during, and following pregnancy. Four main goals include: improving prevention and treatment services to promote positive health outcomes for every woman of reproductive age; prioritizing quality improvement efforts to support healthy pregnancies and births; improving postpartum health; and enhancing data and research to inform future interventions. Includes data and statistics on maternal health and morbidity, and addresses rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Dawn Alley, Andre Chappel, Nancy De Lew, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Making it Work: Models of Success in Rural Maternity Care
Describes factors that underlie 3 successful models of rural maternity care and informs communities, clinicians, and hospitals wishing to keep obstetric services available on the local level. Includes information from interviews conducted at facilities in Baldwin, Wisconsin; Lakin, Kansas; and Russelville, Arkansas.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, Mary Gilbertson
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Describes factors that underlie 3 successful models of rural maternity care and informs communities, clinicians, and hospitals wishing to keep obstetric services available on the local level. Includes information from interviews conducted at facilities in Baldwin, Wisconsin; Lakin, Kansas; and Russelville, Arkansas.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, Mary Gilbertson
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Insurer Participation on the ACA Marketplaces, 2014-2021
Reports on the changes in health insurer participation in the ACA marketplace from 2014 to 2021 for all counties in the U.S. in chart, table, and interactive map formats.
Additional links: County-Specific Data
Author(s): Daniel McDermott, Cynthia Cox
Date: 11/2020
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Reports on the changes in health insurer participation in the ACA marketplace from 2014 to 2021 for all counties in the U.S. in chart, table, and interactive map formats.
Additional links: County-Specific Data
Author(s): Daniel McDermott, Cynthia Cox
Date: 11/2020
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 7/3/2024