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Rural Veterans and Access to Healthcare – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Veterans and Access to Healthcare.

Strengthening Excellence in Research through Veteran Engagement (SERVE) Toolkit 2.0
Presents a toolkit to provide guidance for researchers looking to engage veterans in their research. Highlights successful practices and guidance for the implementation and evaluation of research-based programs. Discusses challenges and successes working with veterans from a number of different demographics, including rural.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Services Research & Development Service
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VA Recommendations to the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission
Presents Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) recommendations to the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission to modernize and realign the VA health care system. Recommendations cover investing in the VA outpatient care infrastructure, enhancing care for veterans with complex needs, providing equitable access to inpatient medical and surgical care, and strengthening the VA's ability to execute its education, research, and emergency preparedness missions. Volume I outlines the legislative history; the present and future of VA health care, including the access needs of rural veterans; the methodology used to conduct the market assessments; and a national summary of the recommendations. Volume II details the recommendations and is organized by the 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs).
Additional links: Appendices, Volume I, Volume II
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Veterans Community Care Program: VA Should Strengthen Its Ability to Identify Ineligible Health Care Providers
Examines the extent to which vulnerabilities in Veterans Community Care Program eligibility requirements contribute to potentially ineligible providers participating in the program. Offers recommendations to the Veterans Administration to enhance provider eligibility controls and oversight.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Role of Race in Rural-Urban Suicide Disparities
Explores the role race-ethnicity plays in understanding the rural-urban disparity in rates of suicide among Veterans Health Administration (VHS) patients. Breaks down data by race, age, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Talya Peltzman, Daniel J. Gottlieb, Maxwell Levis, Brian Shiner
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(2), 346-354
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
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"I was Unsure at First": A Qualitative Evaluation of Patient Perceptions of VA Clinical Video Telehealth Visits in the V-IMPACT Program
Features a study evaluating a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) program using video-based telehealth to expand access to primary care to rural veterans. Draws conclusions based on interviews with patients who utilized the program.
Author(s): Ashley C Mog, Megan Moldestad, Rachael Kenney, et al.
Citation: Journal of Patient Experience, 9
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Association of Rurality With Annual Repeat Lung Cancer Screening in the Veterans Health Administration
Reviews electronic health records of veterans in rural and nonrural areas who utilized Veterans Affairs medical centers from 2015 to 2019. Examines geographic trends among veteran populations who complete annual repeat lung cancer screenings. Includes information on barriers rural veterans face in accessing screenings and potential solutions to address them. Reports on rural versus nonrural data further broken down according to age, sex, race, ethnicity, and comorbidities, among other demographic information.
Author(s): Lucy B. Spalluto, Jennifer A. Lewis, Lauren R. Samuels, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American College of Radiology, 19(1 PB), 131-138
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Sustainment Stories: A Qualitative Analysis of Barriers to Sustainment of the National Rural Transitions of Care Nurse Program
Explores a study evaluating the VA's Transitions Nurse Program (TNP) and its efficacy in rural areas. Details some of the program's early outcomes, barriers, and perceptions.
Author(s): Mary Ava Nunnery, Heather Gilmartin, Michaela McCarthy, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22, 119
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Optimizing Care Coordination to Address Social Determinants of Health Needs for Dual-Use Veterans
Explores a study evaluating a care coordination program that aims to address social determinants of health (SDOH) for veterans who use both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities and non-VA hospitals. Highlights the social worker-led program to help address SDOH factors, such as connecting veterans with transportation, homelessness resources, and financial assistance, among others. Discusses the role rurality plays in veterans' ability to access services and care.
Author(s): Heidi Sjoberg, Wenhui Liu, Carly Rohs, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22(59)
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Benefits of a Telehealth Approach to Treating Mental Illness among Veterans in Rural Settings
Details a study on the VA's use of telemedicine to provide mental healthcare to rural veterans. Focuses on underserved veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially women with military sexual trauma (MST). Includes feedback from veterans on their experience with tele-mental health treatment.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Services Research & Development Service
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Tobacco Where You Live: Native Communities
Report focuses on tobacco use in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Differentiates traditional uses of tobacco from commercial use and highlights strategies for highlighting this difference to reduce rates of commercial tobacco use.
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Last Updated: 6/3/2024