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Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.

Medicaid Behavioral Health Providers Delivering Most Behavioral Health Services via Telehealth Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Issue Brief
Examines the extent to which Medicaid behavioral health providers shifted their practices to mostly telebehavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic through December 2021. Explores differences between specialty and non-specialty behavioral health providers, providers serving enrollees with mental health conditions versus substance use disorders, and rural and urban providers.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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The Role of Relaxed Telehealth Policy on Health Equity in Telehealth Utilization and Outcomes During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: A Living Systematic Review
Outlines the findings from living systematic reviews to describe the evidence measuring the association between telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic and health equity. Research questions include comparisons between telehealth use in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Nicholas M. Mohr, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Lauren Lavin, et al.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Trends in Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth, 2019-2021 Part II: Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth Utilization Trends by Enrollee and Provider Rurality
Explores trends in the use of telehealth among Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees before and during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Compares trends between rural and urban enrollees, enrollees that reside in primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and by providers' rural or urban location.
Author(s): Anupama Warrier, Amelia Whitman, Aiden Lee, et al.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Telehealth Access Points (TAPs) Best Practices Guide
Outlines how communities can create Telehealth Access Points (TAPs), public spaces where individuals can access telehealth appointments. Highlights equipment needed, sanitization procedures, scheduling tools, building community partnerships, and more. Includes links to information about different TAP models and additional resources.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Extended Reality Telehealth for Rural Spaces
Discusses how extended reality technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive mixed reality, can be used in physical and occupational therapy, mental healthcare, elder care, and veterans healthcare services. Describes potential barriers to implementing extended reality telehealth practices, focusing on rural providers and facilities. Highlights examples of rural broadband and healthcare providers collaborating to implement telehealth services.
Author(s): Joshua Seidemann
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Rural Health
Provides an overview of artificial intelligence (AI), applications of AI, and how AI can be used in healthcare. Discusses how AI can impact rural healthcare and considerations for AI use in healthcare.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2024
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2024. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Telemedicine Use Among Adults With and Without Diagnosed Prediabetes or Diabetes, National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2021 and 2022
Examines telemedicine usage among adults with prediabetes, diabetes, or no diabetes diagnosis. Utilizes 2021-2022 National Health Interview Survey data to examine telemedicine usage and diabetes diagnoses according to sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, family income, health insurance, rural versus urban residence, and U.S. Census region.
Author(s): Ibrahim Zaganjor, Ryan Saelee, Stephen Onufrak, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 11/2024
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Final CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Technology Innovation Supporting Access to Rural Health and Human Services: Possibilities and Encouraging Further Investments
Describes the potential of technological innovation to improve access to rural healthcare and human services and the challenges of attracting new technology to rural and tribal areas. Summarizes themes and policy considerations that emerged from the April 2024 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Health and Human Services on this topic. Offers policy recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services related to supporting technological innovation and solutions for rural health.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organizations: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, Rural Policy Research Institute
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