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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.

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
Type: Document
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Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Impacts of Telehealth on Rural Health Care Access
Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payors, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Telehealth: 2025 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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What to Know About Medicare Coverage of Telehealth
Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2024, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, fraud, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan
A guide for federal health information technology (HIT) activities. Outlines four goals and related objectives focused on promoting health and wellness, enhancing the delivery and experience of care, and accelerating research and innovation. Describes how the federal government will use the plan to prioritize resources within federal agencies, align and coordinate federal HIT initiatives, signal priorities to the private sector, and benchmark and assess the progress of federal HIT initiatives.
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Lessons for Future Pandemics: Temporal Evolution and Rural-Urban Variations in the Impacts of the COVID-19 on Opioid Use Treatment
Presents a study highlighting the lessons learned from opioid use treatment programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the impact of the pandemic on treatment services. Discusses the use of telehealth for both counseling and medication prescribing, as well as the challenges faced by patients trying to obtain treatment during the pandemic.
Author(s): Zhongyang He, Jonathan M. Heess, Travis Young, Zhen Lei
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(9), e0310386
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Communications and Technology Subcommittee Hearing: "From Introduction to Implementation: A BEAD Program Progress Report"
Recording of a September 10, 2024, House Energy & Commerce Committee Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing on the status and progress of implementing the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Features testimony from Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association.
Additional links: Shirley Bloomfield, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association - Testimony
Date: 09/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication to Improve Rural Health: A Systematic Review
Provides a literature review of trials and observational studies focused on telehealth-supported provider-to-provider collaboration to improve rural population health. Includes 2010-2021 search results of available telehealth studies and focuses on themes such as use, effectiveness, and implementation.
Author(s): Annette M Totten, Dana M Womack, Jessica C Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 30(8), 1209-1363
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Last Updated: 11/15/2024