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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare facilities

Dec 31, 2025 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on proposed revisions to an information collection request titled "Bureau of Health Workforce Health Workforce Connector OMB No. 0906-0031-Revision." The Health Workforce Connector (HWC) provides a central platform to connect participants, including but not limited to those in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs (Nurse Corps), Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty (PS) Loan Repayment Program, Nursing Training, and Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) programs with facilities that are approved for their programs. Comments are due by March 2, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 26, 2025 - Describes the patient increase hospitals see around December holidays and how rural hospitals respond. Discusses staffing challenges and limited access to specialty care.
Source: KFYR
Dec 22, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on a proposed information collection project titled "National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Respiratory Data." This information collection is designed to standardize the data elements collected from across the country regarding the impact of respiratory viruses on healthcare facilities. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 20, 2025 - The Tennessee Arts Commission and the Tennessee Hospital Association have created a pilot program to introduce arts-based healing programs in 10 rural hospitals. The program aims to create community-centered spaces to support physical, mental, and emotional health for patients and their families.
Source: News Channel 5
Dec 17, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical and typographical corrections to the August 5, 2025, final rule titled " Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program."
Source: Federal Register
Dec 16, 2025 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on revisions to an information collection regarding forms used by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs. The NHSC and Nurse Corps Interest Capture Form is an optional form that a health profession student, licensed clinician, faculty member, clinical site administrator, or other interested individual can complete and submit to HRSA online. Comments are due by January 15, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 15, 2025 - The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking comments on an information collection regarding modifications to multiple forms used for management of the Health Center Program. Comments are due February 13, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 12, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) confirming the September 30, 2024, final rule with comment period making revisions to the policy and procedures to strengthen oversight and management of the growing Community Facilities (CF), Water and Waste Disposal (WWD), Business and Industry (B&I), and Rural Energy for America (REAP) guarantee portfolios. This rule also responds to comments received in response to the final rule. The final rule is effective and confirmed as of November 29, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 12, 2025 - Describes a field trip for nursing students in Kansas to see a Critical Access Hospital as a way to educate the students about rural nursing and promote it as a career path.
Source: University of Kansas Medical Center News
Dec 11, 2025 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating and revising the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model (IOTA Model) for Performance Year (PY) 2, which will begin on July 1, 2026. The IOTA Model tests whether performance-based upside risk payments or downside risk payments paid to or owed by participating kidney transplant hospitals increase access to kidney transplants for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) while preserving or enhancing the quality of care and reducing Medicare expenditures. Comments are due by February 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register