RHIhub This Week - June 12, 2024
Loneliness and Social Isolation Are Common in Rural America. Is "Social Infrastructure" the Solution?by Brendan Stermer While loneliness and social isolation are often viewed as individual problems or even personal failings, there is growing awareness of the structural factors contributing to widespread disconnection. Amid a national "loneliness epidemic," some rural leaders are finding ways to help their neighbors connect. |
Upcoming Webinar
The Rural Clinician's Role in Influenza A(H5N1) Surveillance This Summer: Practical Strategies for Assessing Patient Risk and Implementing Influenza Testing and TreatmentJoin us Tuesday, June 18th at 2:00 p.m. Central for the next RHIhub webinar to hear speakers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discuss influenza A(H5N1) clinical recommendations and considerations for patient evaluations for possible H5N1 exposures. |
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Jun 11, 2024 -- Announces a new consortium of 7 academic institutions that will work to address healthcare workforce shortages, economic development, and regional prosperity for 235 counties in 6 states making up central Appalachia. The consortium will create formal relationships between the universities, conduct needs assessments for healthcare workforce, conduct research, and develop an implementation plan. FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Bolsters Protections for Americans' Access to Healthcare Through Strengthening Cybersecurity Jun 10, 2024 -- Highlights federal efforts to improve cybersecurity in healthcare. Discusses unique impacts on rural hospitals and notes private sector partnerships to support cybersecurity resiliency in those facilities. Source: The White House Why Rural Missouri Schools and Hospitals Might Become Homebuyers Jun 10, 2024 -- Discusses the impact of affordable housing shortages on rural economies and workforce recruitment. Highlights a non-profit program in rural Missouri aiming to increase housing options in part by selling homes to schools and hospitals as an incentive to recruit workforce. Source: The Beacon Federal RegisterGAO: Request for Nominations for the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC)Jun 12, 2024 -- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is accepting nominations for appointment to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC), which provides comments and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on physician payment models. Nominations are due by July 10, 2024. Source: Federal Register HHS: Development of Public Health Vaccine and Prevention Educational Campaigns Involving Community Health Workers Jun 12, 2024 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is seeking comments to guide the development of an educational campaign utilizing community health workers (CHWs) to increase the cultural and linguistic competency efforts related to public health vaccines. Includes background information and presents key questions. Comments are due by July 11, 2024. Source: Federal Register CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Jun 11, 2024 -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Identification of Extension Units of Medicare Approved Outpatient Physical Therapy/Outpatient Speech Pathology (OPT/OSP) Providers and Supporting Regulations and 2) Conditions for Certification for Rural Health Clinics and Conditions for Coverage for Federally Qualified Health Centers in 42 CFR 491. Comments are due by July 11, 2024. Source: Federal Register |
Scholarship for a training program for directors, site directors, and faculty of currently accredited or developing rural residency programs. The Institute, which meets in 3 sessions, is designed to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and skills to help participants become more effective residency program directors. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jul 8, 2024 Sponsors: Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD), Rural Medical Training Collaborative (formerly the RTT Collaborative) Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program Loan repayment for eligible clinicians who provide pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, or child and adolescent behavioral healthcare including substance use disorder prevention and treatment services. In exchange for loan repayment, participants agree to 3 years of full-time service at an approved site including American Indian health facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, schools, and public health departments, among others. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jul 9, 2024 Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program Site Activation Apply to be an approved Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program site to receive assistance with recruitment and retention of qualified pediatric clinicians. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jul 9, 2024 Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Funding to help nonprofit housing and community development intermediary organizations support housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural areas. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jul 10, 2024 Sponsors: U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development Training Program for Institutions That Promote Diversity (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Funding to support training of predoctoral, health professional students, and individuals in postdoctoral training at institutions with a documented historical institutional mission focused on educating underrepresented students and/or institutions that provide clinical services to populations that experience health disparities, with the potential to develop meritorious training programs in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases, and sleep disorders. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Sep 14, 2026 Sponsors: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Community Level Interventions to Improve Minority Health and Reduce Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) Funding for research to develop and test community-level interventions to improve minority health and reduce health disparities. Populations of focus include American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and underserved rural populations, among others. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Application Deadline: Jan 8, 2027 Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services American Connection Corps A 1-year fellowship program that trains and mobilizes leaders to work in rural and emerging communities to coordinate broadband development and digital inclusion. Geographic coverage: Available in 28 states. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsors: AmeriCorps, Lead for America HeartCorps: Public Health AmeriCorps at the American Heart Association Full-time Public Health AmeriCorps service opportunities for people interested in working toward health equity in rural communities. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: American Heart Association Technical Assistance - University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence Technical assistance for rural communities to help with initiatives that address substance use disorder. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence |
Chart listing National Quality Forum measures and the related 2024 measures for the Uniform Data Set (UDS), CMS eCQM (electronic clinical quality measures), CMS Measure Inventory Tool (CMIT), CMS Quality Payment Program (QPP), Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS), CMS Universal Foundation, and Child and Adult Health Care Quality Measures (Medicaid Core Sets). Can be used to identify which UDS measures are being used by other programs. Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value Date: 05/2024 Autism Toolkit Toolkit aims to improve rural autism care through guided feedback and informed expertise. Features a partnership between community members and researchers in Georgia and offers answers to questions about treatments, medications, and common beliefs about autism. Sponsoring organization: Mercer University School of Medicine Barriers to Participation in Clinical Trials of Rural Older Adult Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study Explores barriers to clinical trial participation for older cancer survivors living in rural areas. Utilizes semi-structured interviews to discuss challenges such as lack of transportation, limited communication with providers, age, and more. Author(s): Evelyn Arana-Chicas, Laura M. Hincapie Prisco, Saloni Sharma, et al. Location: Journal of Rural Health Date: 06/2024 Benefits, Challenges, and Strategies Related to Using Presumptive Recommendations for HPV Vaccination: A Qualitative Study with Rural and Non-Rural-Serving Primary Care Professionals Examines the use of presumptive recommendations that assume parents will want to vaccinate, a strategy aimed at improving HPV vaccination uptake in rural and non-rural primary care clinics in North Carolina. Analyzes interview data from primary care professionals (PCPs) about the impact of presumptive recommendations, focusing on issues such as patient trust and cultural sensitivity. Author(s): Olufeyisayo O. Odebunmi, Lisa P. Spees, Caitlin B. Biddell, et al. Location: Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 20(1) Date: 05/2024 COVID-19 Vaccination Site Accessibility, United States, December 11, 2020–March 29, 2022 Analyzes the accessibility of COVID-19 vaccination sites via walking and driving time. Includes state-level graphs and maps that provide visual data on COVID-19 immunization access, as well as comparisons across noncore, metropolitan, small metropolitan, medium metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, and large central metropolitan locations. Author(s): Randy Yee, David Carranza, Christine Kim, et al. Location: Emerging Infectious Diseases, 30(5), 947-955 Date: 05/2024 The Evolution of Health System Planning and Implementation of Maternal Telehealth Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic Analyzes the impact of telehealth to provide maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes interview feedback from 15 health system leaders to discuss issues such as telehealth reimbursement, research, access, barriers, and integration. Includes commentary on telehealth use in rural areas. Author(s): Monisa Aijaz, Burcu Bozkurt, Arrianna Marie Planey, et al. Location: Digital Health, 10 Date: 06/2024 Greener Pastures A documentary that follows 4 Midwestern farm families over a number of years and examines issues such as mental health, social isolation, climate change, and economic uncertainty. Provides commentary on farming life in rural America. Sponsoring organization: Public Broadcasting Service Date: 03/2024 A Guide to Building a Climate-Ready Rural Workforce Guides local health departments in establishing and expanding climate and health programs for rural areas. Discusses climate-related environmental health challenges and activities, including sections on surveillance and data use, partnerships, communication and outreach, workforce development, and mental health. Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials Date: 06/2024 Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care among American Indians and Alaska Natives: Recent Trends and Key Challenges Issue brief presenting data on rates of insurance coverage, Medicaid coverage, and access to healthcare for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) using American Community Survey data. Discusses the impacts of health disparities, coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act, and state Medicaid expansions on AI/AN populations. Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Date: 06/2024 Improving Access to Affordable and Equitable Health Coverage: A Review from 2010 to 2024 An issue brief that provides commentary and data on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has impacted access to health insurance coverage. Provides uninsurance rates by demographic groups and discusses the effect of the ACA on rural areas. Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Date: 06/2024 MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient PPS and the Long-term Care Hospital PPS for FY 2025 Comments on a May 2, 2024, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Discusses proposals on rate-setting in both the inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) and LTCH PPS; the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), including the definition of rural hospitals eligible to participate in a lower-risk track; new payments to small, independent hospitals that establish and maintain a 6-month buffer supply of essential medicines; updates to wage index values and policies; and updates to outlier reconciliation thresholds. Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Date: 06/2024 National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, Austin, Texas, April 9-11. 2024 Summarizes the 94th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Austin, Texas. Presents an overview of the meeting's two areas of focus: 1) innovation and technology in rural health and human services and 2) expanding quality reporting and benchmarking in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Date: 04/2024 Partnerships to Establish and Sustain Rural GME: Q and A with Randy Longenecker, MD Interview with Randy Longenecker, founding executive director of the RTT Collaborative, now called the Rural Medical Training Collaborative. Explores the history of efforts to address physician shortages in rural Appalachian Ohio and discusses challenges in developing and sustaining rural graduate medical education partnerships and experiences. Sponsoring organization: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Date: 06/2024 Place-Based Strengths and Vulnerabilities for Mental Wellness Among Rural Minority Older Adults: An Intervention Development Study Protocol Presents a study on access to mental healthcare for older minorities in rural areas. Explores some of the barriers specific to racial and ethnic minorities in rural areas. Uses data as the basis for an intervention focused on place-based disparities in depression. Author(s): Elise Trott Jaramillo Location: BMJ Open, 14(6), e088348 Date: 05/2024 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Occurrence and Outcomes in Rural United States: A Scoping Review Literature review on racial and ethnic disparities in cancer burden, including discussion of cancer incidence, mortality, screening, access, and knowledge among underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in rural areas. Analyzes 30 studies from 2004-2023. Author(s): Anuli Njoku, Wendemi Sawadogo, Princess Frimpong Location: Cancer Control, 31 Date: 06/2024 Reimagining Rural Health Equity: Understanding Disparities and Orienting Policy, Practice, and Research in Rural America Commentary piece discussing public health disparities and disadvantage in rural areas. Proposes five principles for policy, research, and practice in support of health equity. Includes coverage of rural leadership and assets, rural characteristics, and the value of rural-specific interventions, among other topics. Author(s): Anne N. Sosin, Elizabeth A. Carpenter-Song Location: Health Affairs, 43(6), 791-797 Date: 06/2024 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, June 2024 Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations for increased transparency in Medicaid and CHIP financing, tools for optimizing state Medicaid agency contracts (SMACs), enrollment trends in Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), and demographic data collection in Medicaid. Includes rural references throughout. Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission Date: 06/2024 Risk Factors for Poor Health Among U.S. Older Adults in Rural and Urban Areas: Injury, Food Insecurity, and Lack of Social and Emotional Support Examines differences in select risk factors for poor health between rural and urban older adults and among rural older adults, with breakdowns by several sociodemographic characteristics. Features statistics including percentage of older adults experiencing risk factors for poor health, injury and significant injury, food insecurity, and lack of social and emotional support. Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center Date: 06/2024 Rural Health Disparities in Skin Cancer Amplified Among Skin of Color Analyzes how geography and the social determinants of health impact skin cancer disparities. Analyzes skin cancer history in rural versus urban populations, with data further broken down by gender, race, health plan, healthcare provider access, age, and income. Author(s): Rachel R. Lin, Juwon Lee, Andrea D. Maderal, Scott A. Elman Location: Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 23(6), 480-484 Date: 06/2024 State Tobacco-Related Disparities Dashboard presents state-level data on tobacco use in the form of maps and charts based on a number of demographic categories, such at age, race and ethnicity, income, and urban-rural location, among others. Allows users to narrow data by state and year and compare demographic factors. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Deadline: Jul 12, 2024 Office for Victims of Crime Event Dates: Dec 10 - 13, 2024 Palm Springs, CA Conference Website Call for Abstracts: 2024 Annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety & Health (MRASH) Conference Deadline: Aug 1, 2024 Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health Event Dates: Nov 7 - 8, 2024 Ames, IA Conference Website Call for Proposals: 2025 52nd Annual NARMH Conference Deadline: Sep 1, 2024 National Association for Rural Mental Health Event Dates: May 1 - 3, 2025 Anchorage, AK Conference Website |
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Tell Us How RHIhub Has Impacted YouThe Rural Health Information Hub is seeking your comments on how our services have helped you in your efforts to improve healthcare and population health in rural communities. Have the RHIhub services helped you to stay informed, get a grant, find the proper federal agency contact or other expert, or otherwise changed your life?Please send an email telling how RHIhub has impacted you to kristine@ruralhealthinfo.org. Your stories may be used in testimony, budget documents and presentations concerning the Rural Health Information Hub. |