Rural Health
News by Topic: Access
Jan 27, 2021 - Blog post discusses the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and describes five public health efforts to address these impacts. Recommends the Biden-Harris administration focus on investing in public health media campaigns, providing interventions for healthcare providers and other essential workers, increasing the behavioral health workforce, prioritizing mental health research, and expanding mental health screenings.
Source: Health Affairs
Jan 27, 2021 - Highlights creative ways rural healthcare providers are distributing COVID-19 vaccines in their communities. Features health centers in Pennsylvania and South Carolina that purchased mobile health systems to provide testing and vaccination, and a four-woman team providing vaccines in remote communities across Alaska.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Jan 26, 2021 - Executive Order from the Office of the President regarding the acceleration of COVID-19 therapies, including the support of research in rural hospitals and other rural locations. This Executive Order also directs the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the leaders of other relevant agencies to provide targeted assistance to critical care and long-term care facilities and facilitate the equitable and effective distribution and utilization of COVID-19 therapeutics.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 26, 2021 - Blog post from the Executive Director of Messengers for Health discusses becoming a member of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Advisory Panel on Patient Engagement to advocate for her community, Crow Indian Nation, and learn about the challenges and barriers within other communities. PCORI is seeking applications and nominations for open seats on its advisory panels, due March 31, 2020.
Source: PCORI
Jan 25, 2021 - Highlights COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts in rural Kittitas County, Washington using lessons learned from fighting wildfires and applying them to the pandemic. Describes how the county has not wasted a single dose by assigning a name of a person to each vial, informing the public as to how they can make appointments, and implementing a system that guarantees residents come back for the second dose.
Source: CNN
Jan 25, 2021 - Opinion article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural hospitals and recommends ways that the Biden Administration can help revive rural healthcare. Solutions include rethinking how rural healthcare providers are paid, expanding mental health services, specialized training for rural health leaders, and investing in rural maternal healthcare and rural infrastructure.
Source: The Conversation
Jan 25, 2021 - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) flew doses of the Moderna vaccine to the Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS), as part of a new pilot program that provides vaccines to rural veterans. Selected due to its size and rurality, MTVAHCS administered 240 vaccines to veterans in Havre, Montana.
Source: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Jan 22, 2021 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced efforts to expand nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. USDA increased the Pandemic-EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent and is looking at ways to increase Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to all participants.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Jan 21, 2021 - Blog highlights the national COVID-19 vaccination strategy unveiled by President Biden and his administration, which seeks to address challenges faced by local governments in distributing the vaccine. Summarizes actions to increase supply of vaccinations, leverage federal resources to create local vaccination sites, mobilize additional personnel, and launch a public education campaign.
Source: National Association of Counties
Jan 20, 2021 - Video features rural healthcare facilities in Montana and Texas and their efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine in their communities. Describes several challenges to distribution in frontier communities, including the shortage of healthcare workers, long distances to travel, and vaccine storage requirements.
Source: CNN