Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.
Telemedicine Use and Quality of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study of 1,768 clinicians treating 11,801 patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), to examine the association between telemedicine adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic and indicators of OUD treatment quality. Explores medications for OUD (MOUD) prescribing and OUD-related clinical events, including drug overdose, inpatient detoxification, and rehabilitation center stay. Features statistics including patient and clinician characteristics, with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, and rural location.
Author(s): Ruth Hailu, Ateev Mehrotra, Haiden A. Huskamp, Alisa B. Busch, Michael L. Barnett
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1)
Date: 01/2023
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Results of a study of 1,768 clinicians treating 11,801 patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), to examine the association between telemedicine adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic and indicators of OUD treatment quality. Explores medications for OUD (MOUD) prescribing and OUD-related clinical events, including drug overdose, inpatient detoxification, and rehabilitation center stay. Features statistics including patient and clinician characteristics, with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, and rural location.
Author(s): Ruth Hailu, Ateev Mehrotra, Haiden A. Huskamp, Alisa B. Busch, Michael L. Barnett
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1)
Date: 01/2023
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Examining Rural Telehealth During the Public Health Emergency
Examines the use of telehealth visits for rural and urban fee-for-service Medicare enrollees between January 2018 and June 2021. Compares telehealth utilization before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) with telehealth utilization from January 2020 to June 2021. Describes the demographic, geographical, and technological characteristics of telehealth services that were associated with increased telehealth use. Explores the extent to which the increased implementation and utilization of telehealth during the PHE impacted the cost of patient care and provider utilization.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare
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Examines the use of telehealth visits for rural and urban fee-for-service Medicare enrollees between January 2018 and June 2021. Compares telehealth utilization before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) with telehealth utilization from January 2020 to June 2021. Describes the demographic, geographical, and technological characteristics of telehealth services that were associated with increased telehealth use. Explores the extent to which the increased implementation and utilization of telehealth during the PHE impacted the cost of patient care and provider utilization.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare
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Use of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Era
Presents a review of more than 300 studies on the use of telehealth published between March 11, 2020, and May 2, 2022. Explores the characteristics of the patients, providers, and health systems using telehealth during the COVID-19 era. Examines the benefits and harms of telehealth, what is considered a successful telehealth intervention, and strategies used to implement telehealth interventions.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center
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Presents a review of more than 300 studies on the use of telehealth published between March 11, 2020, and May 2, 2022. Explores the characteristics of the patients, providers, and health systems using telehealth during the COVID-19 era. Examines the benefits and harms of telehealth, what is considered a successful telehealth intervention, and strategies used to implement telehealth interventions.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center
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Telehealth and In-Person Behavioral Health Services in Rural Communities Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multisite Prospective Cohort Study
Evaluated telehealth and in-person behavioral healthcare encounters in 95 rural communities before and during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency to identify changes in healthcare delivery. Discusses specific diagnoses, type of healthcare service, and clinician type.
Author(s): Marcia M. Ward, Fred Ullrich, Divya Bhagianadh, et al.
Citation: JMIR Mental Health, 10, e47047
Date: 2023
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Evaluated telehealth and in-person behavioral healthcare encounters in 95 rural communities before and during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency to identify changes in healthcare delivery. Discusses specific diagnoses, type of healthcare service, and clinician type.
Author(s): Marcia M. Ward, Fred Ullrich, Divya Bhagianadh, et al.
Citation: JMIR Mental Health, 10, e47047
Date: 2023
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Medicare Telehealth Trends Dashboard, 2019-2021
Interactive dashboard provides data on Medicare beneficiaries' telehealth visits from 2019 through 2021. Allows users to explore data by beneficiary characteristics, including age, disability status, urban/rural residence; behavioral health versus non-behavioral health visits; telehealth modality; and the percent of total visits that were via telehealth visits in 2020 by state.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Interactive dashboard provides data on Medicare beneficiaries' telehealth visits from 2019 through 2021. Allows users to explore data by beneficiary characteristics, including age, disability status, urban/rural residence; behavioral health versus non-behavioral health visits; telehealth modality; and the percent of total visits that were via telehealth visits in 2020 by state.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Telehealth in Rural Integrated Care Webinar Series
A 3-part webinar series on telehealth in rural integrated care. Part 1 discusses general issues and opportunities for telehealth in decreasing health disparities. Part 2 focuses on the unique challenges for rural children and rural schools. Part 3 focuses on the unique challenges for rural migrant workers and farmworkers.
Additional links: Part 2, Part 3
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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A 3-part webinar series on telehealth in rural integrated care. Part 1 discusses general issues and opportunities for telehealth in decreasing health disparities. Part 2 focuses on the unique challenges for rural children and rural schools. Part 3 focuses on the unique challenges for rural migrant workers and farmworkers.
Additional links: Part 2, Part 3
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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School-Based Telehealth Playbook
Guides health centers through the design, implementation, and operation of a telehealth program that meets the needs of children and adolescents. Covers assessing needs and readiness, program models, business models, technology and equipment, program evaluation, partnerships, and implementation. Highlights examples from rural areas throughout.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: School-Based Health Alliance
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Guides health centers through the design, implementation, and operation of a telehealth program that meets the needs of children and adolescents. Covers assessing needs and readiness, program models, business models, technology and equipment, program evaluation, partnerships, and implementation. Highlights examples from rural areas throughout.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: School-Based Health Alliance
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Disparities in Patient Portal Access by U.S. Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reports on a population-based survey to determine if socio-demographic disparities exist in accessing online patient portals. Using data from the 2020 U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey, insured adults who had a medical visit in the previous 12 months were asked about their knowledge, access, and use of online medical records. Demographic characteristics of patients who were offered access, and for patients who accessed online portals are compared. Reasons for not using an online portal are discussed. Compares online patient portal use by different patient characteristics, including education, race/ethnicity, sex, age, location (metro vs nonmetro/rural), insurance type, use of internet, and quality of care.
Author(s): Akira Nishii, Celeste Campos-Castillo, Denise Anthony
Citation: JAMIA Open, 5(4)
Date: 12/2022
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Reports on a population-based survey to determine if socio-demographic disparities exist in accessing online patient portals. Using data from the 2020 U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey, insured adults who had a medical visit in the previous 12 months were asked about their knowledge, access, and use of online medical records. Demographic characteristics of patients who were offered access, and for patients who accessed online portals are compared. Reasons for not using an online portal are discussed. Compares online patient portal use by different patient characteristics, including education, race/ethnicity, sex, age, location (metro vs nonmetro/rural), insurance type, use of internet, and quality of care.
Author(s): Akira Nishii, Celeste Campos-Castillo, Denise Anthony
Citation: JAMIA Open, 5(4)
Date: 12/2022
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Medicare Beneficiaries' Use of Audio-Only Health Care Services
Describes the use of audio-only telehealth services among Medicare beneficiaries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on the use of telehealth by age, number of chronic conditions, service type and modality, race and ethnicity, urbanicity, and outpatient facility provider type.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Describes the use of audio-only telehealth services among Medicare beneficiaries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on the use of telehealth by age, number of chronic conditions, service type and modality, race and ethnicity, urbanicity, and outpatient facility provider type.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Improving Rural Health Through Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication
Presents the results of a comprehensive literature review to identify, summarize, and evaluate available research on the contributions of rural provider-to-provider telehealth communication and collaboration in addressing health disparities, and improving the health of rural populations. Topics cover the specific applications, effectiveness, implementation, sustainability, and barriers and facilitators of provider-to-provider telehealth in rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 1, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 2
Author(s): Annette Totten, Dana M. Womack, Marian S. McDonagh, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Presents the results of a comprehensive literature review to identify, summarize, and evaluate available research on the contributions of rural provider-to-provider telehealth communication and collaboration in addressing health disparities, and improving the health of rural populations. Topics cover the specific applications, effectiveness, implementation, sustainability, and barriers and facilitators of provider-to-provider telehealth in rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 1, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 2
Author(s): Annette Totten, Dana M. Womack, Marian S. McDonagh, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Last Updated: 1/24/2025