RHIhub This Week - July 3, 2024
Disruptors, Essential Services, and Reflections on a Career in Rural Health, with John SupplittCheck out our latest episode featuring John Supplitt, Senior Director of Rural Health Services for the American Hospital Association, sharing rural health insights from his long career with AHA. |
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Jul 3, 2024 -- Discusses how a remote patient monitoring program in northern Minnesota is increasing access to care and resources for rural pregnant women. Details the program's structure and highlights the use of in-home telehealth appointments, physical monitoring equipment, and arranging transportation for in-person care. Source: HealthLeaders Media Expert: Rural Hospitals Are Particularly Vulnerable to Increasing Cyberattacks Targeting Healthcare Facilities Jul 2, 2024 -- A policy brief from the National Rural Health Association notes that cyberattacks at healthcare facilities have increased more than 125% since 2023. Rural hospitals typically have an older IT infrastructure and inadequate IT staffing, which makes them particularly vulnerable. Microsoft and Google are offering free or discounted services to rural hospitals to help them prevent cyberattacks. Source: The Daily Yonder In Rural Snohomish County, Outreach Workers Unpack Stigma of Addiction Jun 29, 2024 -- Describes Snohomish County, Washington's "community conversations" program, providing information about opioid use misconceptions and stigma. The events are part of Snohomish County's efforts to address racial, income and geographic barriers in behavioral health care. Source: HeraldNet AJPH Call for Papers Special Section on Intersections of Public Health And Primary Care Jun 28, 2024 -- The American Public Health Association is seeking submissions of articles focused on partnerships and collaborations between public health and primary care to be featured in a special issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Includes details on themes of interest, including a request for submissions focused on approaches that increase access to primary care in rural and hard-to-reach settings. Submissions are due November 1, 2024. Source: American Public Health Association NIH HEAL Initiative Turns Attention to Pragmatic Trials in Rural Communities Jun 27, 2024 -- Provides overview of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative. Includes video interviews with the principal investigators of three research trials aimed at the development of chronic pain management strategies for rural and remote populations. Source: NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Limited Continuing-Care Options in Rural Virginia Create Challenges for an Aging Population Jun 26, 2024 -- Outlines the challenges faced by an elderly couple in Danville, VA as they explore options for long-term care. Notes a shortage of options for older adults in many rural communities beyond nursing homes, living with a family member, or aging in place. Highlights the role of Area Agencies on Aging in helping older adults navigate local resources. Source: Cardinal News Rural Communities in Georgia Are Losing Access to Maternity Care — Can Training More Doulas Help? Jun 26, 2024 -- Highlights efforts by the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta to expand access to doula services for Black women in rural Georgia. Describes doula services including education, health system navigation, emotional support, and resource referrals. Discusses funding challenges and efforts to make doula services reimbursable by Medicaid in Georgia. Source: WABE Federal RegisterCMS: Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update; HH Quality Reporting Program Requirements; HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model Requirements; Home Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) Items and Services Rate Update; and Other Medicare PoliciesJul 3, 2024 -- Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the home health payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2025. This rule also proposes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) requirements; provides an update on potential approaches for integrating health equity in the Expanded Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model; proposes a new standard for acceptance to service policy in the home health conditions of participation (CoPs); proposes rebasing and revising the home health market basket; and proposes updates to provider and supplier enrollment requirements and changes to the long-term care reporting requirements for acute respiratory illnesses, among other things. Also includes requests for information seeking input on permitting rehabilitative therapists to conduct the initial and comprehensive assessment and the factors that may influence the patient referral and intake processes. Comments are due by August 26, 2024. Source: Federal Register CMS: Medicare Program: Mitigating the Impact of Significant, Anomalous, and Highly Suspect Billing Activity on Medicare Shared Savings Program Financial Calculations in Calendar Year 2023 Jul 3, 2024 -- Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposing policies for assessing performance year (PY) 2023 financial performance of Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in light of significant, anomalous, and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity for selected intermittent urinary catheters on Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics & Supplies (DMEPOS) claims. Among other things, rule proposes benchmarks for ACOs starting agreement periods in 2024, 2025, and 2026; and financial calculations used in the application cycle for ACOs applying to enter a new agreement period beginning on January 1, 2025, and the change request cycle for ACOs continuing their participation in the program for PY 2025. Comments are due by July 29, 2024. Source: Federal Register HHS: The Interagency Coordination Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking Requests for Public Comments Jul 3, 2024 -- The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) seeking comments on the Alcohol Intake and Health Methodology, which will be used to perform a series of studies assessing the relationship between alcohol intake and related health conditions. The methodology is available on the ICCPUD Study on Alcohol Intake and Health website. Comments are due by August 2, 2024. Source: Federal Register HRSA: Lists of Designated Primary Medical Care, Mental Health, and Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas Jul 1, 2024 -- The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces the availability of the complete lists of all geographic areas, population groups, and facilities designated as primary care, mental health, and/or dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). HPSA designations that are currently proposed for withdrawal will remain in this status until they are re-evaluated in preparation for the publication of the HPSA Federal Register notice on or before November 1, 2024. Lists are available on the shortage areas topic page on data.hrsa.gov and are current as of April 15, 2024. Source: Federal Register Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals with Acute Kidney Injury, etc. Jun 28, 2024 -- Pre-publication notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes related to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2025 and proposing updates to the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). Among other things, this rule also proposes updated requirements for the Conditions for Coverage for ESRD facilities, the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, and the ESRD Treatment Choices Model. Comments are due by August 26, 2024. Source: Federal Register |
Funding for a mentored research experience for occupational therapy graduates and clinicians from under-represented backgrounds. Eligible applicants include American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and people from rural communities, among others. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jul 19, 2024 Sponsor: American Occupational Therapy Foundation Appalachian Region Healthcare Support Program Funding for a single entity to provide technical assistance to help rural healthcare organizations located in the rural counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission with planning and implementing healthcare service improvements. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Application Deadline: Jul 25, 2024 Sponsors: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medical Student Education Program Grants for public medical schools to expand or support education for medical students preparing to become physicians in states with primary care provider shortages. The program is designed to prepare and encourage medical students who are training in the most underserved states to choose residencies and careers in primary care that serve tribal communities, rural communities, and/or medically underserved communities after they graduate. Geographic coverage: Public medical colleges in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah Application Deadline: Jul 26, 2024 Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program Funding to improve and increase access to care in the Delta Region for pregnant women and new mothers during and after pregnancy. Geographic coverage: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee Application Deadline: Aug 2, 2024 Sponsors: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Technology-enabled Collaborative Learning Program Funding to evaluate, develop, and, expand the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models for healthcare providers and other professionals. The program is designed to improve retention of healthcare providers and increase access to health care services in rural areas, frontier areas, health professional shortage areas, or medically underserved areas and for medically underserved populations or native Americans. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Application Deadline: Aug 2, 2024 Sponsors: Health Resources and Services Administration, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program Loans for Native Community Development Financial Institutions to use for relending to increase homeownership opportunities for Native American tribes, Alaska Native communities, and Native Hawaiian communities in rural areas. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Aug 9, 2024 Sponsors: U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development, USDA Rural Housing Service Service Area Competition Funding for Health Center Program (Areas Served with a Project Period Start Date of March 1, 2025) Funding to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services to an underserved area or population. Areas with a March 1, 2025 project period start date are eligible to apply. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Aug 27, 2024 Sponsors: Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care Program Scholarships Scholarships for primary care providers working in under-resourced communities to participate in the CBT for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care training program. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Sep 4, 2024 Sponsor: The REACH Institute Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams for Transit Agencies In-person and off site technical assistance for small-urban, rural, and tribal transit agencies to develop technology action plans to help meet strategic goals. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsors: Community Transportation Association of America, National Center for Applied Transit Technology |
Summary tables of osteopathic medical school applicants and matriculants. Features statistics including type of geographical area where applicants and matriculants were raised, with breakdowns by 6 levels of population size. Sponsoring organization: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Date: 05/2024 The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey Chartbook State- and county-level information on population, age, race and ethnicity, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting. Additional links: Full Report Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau Date: 06/2024 Assessing How Alcohol Use Patterns Relate to Obesity among American Adolescents from Rural and Urban Areas: Five Years of Pooled Data Analyzes the association between alcohol use and obesity among rural and urban adolescents aged 12-17. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data. Author(s): Christian E. Vazquez, Fawn A. Brown, Faheem Ohri, Philip Baiden Location: PLoS ONE, 19(6), e0305638 Date: 06/2024 Community Buprenorphine Continuation Post-Release Following Extended Release Vs. Sublingual Buprenorphine During Incarceration: A Pilot Project in Maine Compares post-release outcomes among incarcerated people who received extended-release buprenorphine (XRB) versus sublingual buprenorphine (SLB) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural Maine jails. Includes data from two jails, one of which had implemented an XRB pilot program, on rates of post-release community buprenorphine treatment continuation, diversion, safety concerns, XRB side effects, and post-release mortality. Author(s): Alane B. O'Connor, Catherine Gelsinger, Sadie M. Donovan, Jessica Marshall, Katherine A. Ahrens Location: Health & Justice, 12, 28 Date: 06/2024 Congruence Between County Dental Health Provider Shortage Area Designations and the Social Vulnerability Index Provides visual comparisons of the relationship between Dental Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2020 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) designations on county-level U.S. maps. Includes table showing median county-level SVI score by HPSA designation, broken down by metro, nonmetro, and all county. Author(s): Gabriel A. Benavidez, Elizabeth Crouch, Joni Nelson, Amy Martin Location: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21 Date: 06/2024 Distance as an Obstacle to Clinical Trial Access: Who Is Affected and Why It Matters Evaluates factors associated with geographic remoteness of 60 miles or more from the nearest phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for a variety of health conditions. Discusses American Indian reservations and rural areas, and provides data on demographic factors associated with remoteness including race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty. Includes a county-level interactive map of clinical trial remoteness for health conditions including cancers, substance use disorder, diabetes, obesity, COPD, stroke, and more. Additional links: Interactive Map Sponsoring organization: The Milken Institute Date: 06/2024 Ending Unequal Treatment: Strategies to Achieve Equitable Health Care and Optimal Health for All Examines racial and ethnic health inequities in health and healthcare, including discussion of enablers and barriers of health equity, changes in healthcare systems over time, approaches to health equity interventions and research, and health equity policy. Mentions rural, tribal, and indigenous populations throughout. Pages 229-233 highlight successful Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and American Indian initiatives and partnerships. Additional links: Read Online Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Date: 2024 Evaluation of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model: 2018-2022 - Fourth Evaluation Report Evaluates the first five performance years of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model (VTAPM), which aims to assess whether scaling an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) across all payers in the state can reduce program expenditures while preserving or improving care quality. Discusses the implementation of the model, provider engagement, efforts to address population health goals; characteristics of participating hospitals, practitioners, and beneficiaries; and the model's impacts on Medicare spending, utilization, and quality of care. Includes analyses of Medicare ACO subgroups and Medicaid spending, utilization, and quality of care trends. Outlines challenges and lessons learned. Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago Date: 06/2024 From Surviving to Thriving: Ways to Boost Employee Retention in Rural Health Care Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Brandie Manuel, R.N., chief patient safety and quality officer at Jefferson Healthcare in rural Washington. Discusses strategies to promote workforce development, wellbeing, and teamwork. Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Date: 07/2024 Health Subcommittee Hearing on Improving Value-Based Care for Patients and Providers Recording of a June 26, 2024, House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing on the challenges and opportunities associated with delivering better health outcomes and Medicare savings through value-based care. Features testimony from Sarah Chouinard, Chief Medical Officer of Main Street Health, regarding value-based care delivery in rural areas. Additional links: Sarah Chouinard, Main Street Health - Testimony Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Health Date: 06/2024 Identifying Challenges and Solutions for Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Rural Youth: Insights from Adult Community Members Presents a study on the barriers to accessing mental healthcare for rural youth in Washington State. Bases finding on interviews with community members, parents, teachers, and healthcare providers and discusses ways to overcome perceived barriers. Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Demetrius A. Abshire, Elissa Koontz, Jessica L. Mackelprang Location: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(6), 725 Date: 06/2024 Nurse Staffing Estimates in US Nursing Homes, May 2024 Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) April 2024 final rule that established minimum nurse staffing requirements for nursing homes. Analyzes May 2024 data from Nursing Home Care Compare to examine current staffing levels in U.S. nursing homes relative to specific minimum staffing requirements in the final rule. Includes an illustrative example of a 100-bed facility to explore how many nurse staff would need to be added per shift during the final rule's implementation phase to meet or exceed the final rule's minimum requirements. Presents data by facility characteristics, including ownership type, rural or urban location, and bed size. Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Date: 06/2024 Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP) Performance Improvement and Measurement System (PIMS): Summary Report for Program Year 3 (September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2023) Summarizes findings from the first three years of the 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP), which aims to promote tele-emergency services by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour emergency department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Presents data on grantee network characteristics, the number of originating and distant sites, specialty areas, averted transfers, ED and hospital readmissions, other uses of the telehealth network, and more. Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Date: 02/2024 Patterns and Trends in Melanoma Mortality in the United States, 1999–2020 Analyzes melanoma mortality utilizing 1999-2020 data from Centers for Disease Control Wide Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER). Provides mortality trends broken down by sex, race/ethnicity, age, state, and rural, suburban, or urban location. Author(s): Alexander J. Didier, Swamroop V. Nandwani, Dean Watkins, et al. Location: BMC Cancer, 24, 790 Date: 07/2024 RPM for FQHCs and RHCs: 10 Things to Consider Details issues related to remote patient monitoring (RPM) and remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Covers reimbursement and billing, implementation, and quality of care. Sponsoring organization: Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center Date: 2024 Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Population Estimates — United States, 2022 Describes the U.S. adult populations who need opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, receive any OUD treatment, and receive medication for OUD. Includes data for metropolitan compared to micropolitan and noncore locations. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Location: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 73(25), 567-574 Date: 06/2024 Trends in and Factors Associated with Family Physician-Performed Screening Colonoscopies in the United States: 2016-2021 Examines factors and trends related to family physician (FP)-performed colonoscopy screenings. Analyzes 2016-2021 insurance claims data from 2,943,900 qualified colonoscopies, with data breakdowns according to patient demographics, accrued charges, region, and urban-rural classification, including large central metro, large fringe metro, medium metro, small metro, micropolitan, and noncore. Discusses the impact of FP-performed colonoscopy screenings for certain populations, including rural. Author(s): Nicholas Edwardson, David van der Goes, V. Shane Pankratz, et al. Location: Journal of Rural Health Date: 06/2024 USDA Summer Food Program with Administrator for the Food and Nutrition Service, Cindy Long Podcast episode featuring Cindy Long, Administrator for the the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Discusses how the USDA FNS helps parents and caregivers raising families in rural and remote areas navigate nutrition assistance programs when school is out of session in the summer. Describes Summer Food Program eligibility and how to access program benefits. Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc. Date: 06/2024 |
Deadline: Jul 31, 2024 Palmetto Care Connections Event Dates: Oct 28 - 30, 2024 Hilton Head, SC Conference Website Call for Presentations: 2025 Rx and Illicit Drug Summit Deadline: Aug 5, 2024 HMP's Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network Event Dates: Apr 21 - 24, 2025 Nashville, TN Conference Website |
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