Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.
Haves and the Have-Nots: Disparities in Telehealth Availability in Rural Hospitals
Webinar presenting research on the association between telehealth and rural hospital finances. Compared rural hospitals that had no telehealth technology with those that did between 2009 and 2019. Evaluated both hospital characteristics such as payer mix and ownership as well as community characteristics such as age, poverty, and more. Discusses future plans to continue this research. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Webinar presenting research on the association between telehealth and rural hospital finances. Compared rural hospitals that had no telehealth technology with those that did between 2009 and 2019. Evaluated both hospital characteristics such as payer mix and ownership as well as community characteristics such as age, poverty, and more. Discusses future plans to continue this research. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Designing a Framework for Remote Cancer Care Through Community Co-Design: Participatory Development Study
Explores the design and implementation of a framework to provide telemedicine cancer care in urban and rural areas of Kentucky. Addresses issues of health disparities and lack of broadband access in geographic areas such as Appalachia. Provides examples of participatory and co-design processes to create telemedicine options and engage communities.
Author(s): Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, Melanie McComsey, Ming-Yuan Chih, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(4)
Date: 04/2022
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Explores the design and implementation of a framework to provide telemedicine cancer care in urban and rural areas of Kentucky. Addresses issues of health disparities and lack of broadband access in geographic areas such as Appalachia. Provides examples of participatory and co-design processes to create telemedicine options and engage communities.
Author(s): Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, Melanie McComsey, Ming-Yuan Chih, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(4)
Date: 04/2022
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Mental Health Service Use, Suicide Behavior, and Emergency Department Visits Among Rural US Veterans Who Received Video-Enabled Tablets During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study to examine whether a United States Veterans Affairs initiative to distribute video-enabled tablets during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mental healthcare access, suicide behavior, or emergency department (ED) visits among rural veterans. Features demographics and statistics on mental health services use and ED visits, with breakdowns by tablet recipients and nonrecipients.
Author(s): Kritee Gujral, James Van Campen, Josephine Jacobs, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(4)
Date: 04/2022
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Results of a study to examine whether a United States Veterans Affairs initiative to distribute video-enabled tablets during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mental healthcare access, suicide behavior, or emergency department (ED) visits among rural veterans. Features demographics and statistics on mental health services use and ED visits, with breakdowns by tablet recipients and nonrecipients.
Author(s): Kritee Gujral, James Van Campen, Josephine Jacobs, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(4)
Date: 04/2022
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Telehealth for FQHCs/RHCs: School-Based Telehealth
Offers a 3-part video series on school-based telehealth for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Topics covered in part 1 include school-based telehealth resources and opportunities; part 2 offers information on school-based health clinic benefits, program development, payment, and technology considerations; and part 3 covers school based primary care, integrated behavioral health, virtual learning, and evolution of telehealth services. If viewed through YouTube, transcripts are available below description.
Additional links: Telehealth for FQHCs/RHCs: School-Based Telehealth Part 2, Telehealth for FQHCs/RHCs: School-Based Telehealth Part 3
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Offers a 3-part video series on school-based telehealth for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Topics covered in part 1 include school-based telehealth resources and opportunities; part 2 offers information on school-based health clinic benefits, program development, payment, and technology considerations; and part 3 covers school based primary care, integrated behavioral health, virtual learning, and evolution of telehealth services. If viewed through YouTube, transcripts are available below description.
Additional links: Telehealth for FQHCs/RHCs: School-Based Telehealth Part 2, Telehealth for FQHCs/RHCs: School-Based Telehealth Part 3
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Telehealth Has Played an Outsized Role Meeting Mental Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores usage of telehealth for physical and mental health outpatient visits between March 2019 and August 2021. Figure 3 shows use of mental health and substance use telehealth visits versus other outpatient telehealth visits, with rural versus urban comparisons. Includes a discussion about payment models for telehealth via private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Amin, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Explores usage of telehealth for physical and mental health outpatient visits between March 2019 and August 2021. Figure 3 shows use of mental health and substance use telehealth visits versus other outpatient telehealth visits, with rural versus urban comparisons. Includes a discussion about payment models for telehealth via private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Amin, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Teledentistry Helps Provide the Right Care at the Right Time
Presents a report on the best uses of teledentistry. Discusses the use of teledentistry for dental triage, follow-up care, and in place of in-person visits for patients with less access to care, such as those in rural areas.
Author(s): Lisa J. Heaton, Madhuli Thakkar-Samtani, Caroline D. McLeod, Eric P. Tranby
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Presents a report on the best uses of teledentistry. Discusses the use of teledentistry for dental triage, follow-up care, and in place of in-person visits for patients with less access to care, such as those in rural areas.
Author(s): Lisa J. Heaton, Madhuli Thakkar-Samtani, Caroline D. McLeod, Eric P. Tranby
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Providing Health Literate Virtual Health Services: Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief
Summarizes 3 presentations and a panel discussion from a virtual public workshop held on September 23, 2021, by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on Health Literacy, covering health-literate telehealth services. Discusses challenges and potential for health literate telehealth, access and equity, and resources available through the HRSA Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT).
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes 3 presentations and a panel discussion from a virtual public workshop held on September 23, 2021, by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on Health Literacy, covering health-literate telehealth services. Discusses challenges and potential for health literate telehealth, access and equity, and resources available through the HRSA Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT).
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Outpatient Telehealth Use Soared Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic but Has since Receded
Brief examining outpatient telehealth visits from March 2019 to August 2021 based on a data set that includes over 126 million patients from 889 hospitals and 19,320 clinics nationwide. Covers changes in telehealth use during the pandemic, telehealth use by age group and sex, rural and urban rates of telehealth use, and telehealth use for management of chronic conditions. Discusses impacts on healthcare access, cost, quality, and outcomes, as well as policy implications.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Ann, Cynthia Cox
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organizations: KFF, Peterson Center on Healthcare
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Brief examining outpatient telehealth visits from March 2019 to August 2021 based on a data set that includes over 126 million patients from 889 hospitals and 19,320 clinics nationwide. Covers changes in telehealth use during the pandemic, telehealth use by age group and sex, rural and urban rates of telehealth use, and telehealth use for management of chronic conditions. Discusses impacts on healthcare access, cost, quality, and outcomes, as well as policy implications.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Ann, Cynthia Cox
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organizations: KFF, Peterson Center on Healthcare
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A New Era of Health Literacy? Expanded Definitions, Digital Influences, and Rural Perspectives
Explores rural challenges to accessing health information that is clear and usable, with insights from experts. Describes recently expanded definitions of health literacy. Discusses digital health literacy and the importance of broadband access and digital health tools for rural residents.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Explores rural challenges to accessing health information that is clear and usable, with insights from experts. Describes recently expanded definitions of health literacy. Discusses digital health literacy and the importance of broadband access and digital health tools for rural residents.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A Pilot Study Examining Access to and Satisfaction with Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment via Telemedicine
Highlights a study on the role telemedicine plays in increasing access to mental health and substance use treatment for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. The study received a high percentage of participants from rural areas and breaks down the demographic data by rural, as well as several other factors such as age, race, and diagnosis, to name a few.
Author(s): Constance Guille, Emily Johnson, Edie Douglas, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine Reports, 3(1), 24-29
Date: 01/2022
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Highlights a study on the role telemedicine plays in increasing access to mental health and substance use treatment for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. The study received a high percentage of participants from rural areas and breaks down the demographic data by rural, as well as several other factors such as age, race, and diagnosis, to name a few.
Author(s): Constance Guille, Emily Johnson, Edie Douglas, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine Reports, 3(1), 24-29
Date: 01/2022
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Last Updated: 3/28/2025