Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
The Golden Hour Is Elusive in Rural Trauma: A 10-year Analysis from a Level I Trauma Center in Montana
Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
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Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
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Comparing the Care and Distance Traveled by Rural and Urban Children and Adolescents with Medicaid Insurance and Opioid Use Disorder
Presents a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and enrolled in Medicaid in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Presents a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and enrolled in Medicaid in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural-Urban Variation in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access among Commercially Insured Children and Adolescents
Details a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and covered by commercial insurance in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, provider type, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Details a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and covered by commercial insurance in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, provider type, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Exploring Systemic Challenges in the Western North Carolina Dental Safety Net: A Qualitative Analysis
Describes experiences of individuals working within the western North Carolina dental safety net, to identify barriers and strategies required to strengthen delivery of oral health care in high-need rural areas. Based on interviews with 17 oral health stakeholders between June-August 2024.
Author(s): Blaire Mirmow, Bill Milner, Nadia Laniado
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(1), 42-59.
Date: 04/2026
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Describes experiences of individuals working within the western North Carolina dental safety net, to identify barriers and strategies required to strengthen delivery of oral health care in high-need rural areas. Based on interviews with 17 oral health stakeholders between June-August 2024.
Author(s): Blaire Mirmow, Bill Milner, Nadia Laniado
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(1), 42-59.
Date: 04/2026
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Rural Residence and Mental Health among US Veterans: Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study
Details a study on the effect rurality, social vulnerability, drive time from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, and VHA utilization have on the mental health of rural veterans. Breaks down data by participants' age, education, and military service, among other measures.
Author(s): Claire A. Kolaja, Javier Villalobos, Julia Seay, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(4), e0346780
Date: 04/2026
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Details a study on the effect rurality, social vulnerability, drive time from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, and VHA utilization have on the mental health of rural veterans. Breaks down data by participants' age, education, and military service, among other measures.
Author(s): Claire A. Kolaja, Javier Villalobos, Julia Seay, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(4), e0346780
Date: 04/2026
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State Action to Improve Maternal & Child Health with the Rural Health Transformation Program: Virtual Convening of Milbank State Leadership Network Recap
Summarizes a March 2026 meeting for state legislators and executive branch leaders regarding how states are planning to use the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to address maternal and child health. Describes early implementation strategies presented by leaders from Mississippi, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Discusses how states are aligning funding, infrastructure, and community partnerships to expand access to care and improve outcomes.
Author(s): Mary Louise Gilburg, Morgan McDonald
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Summarizes a March 2026 meeting for state legislators and executive branch leaders regarding how states are planning to use the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to address maternal and child health. Describes early implementation strategies presented by leaders from Mississippi, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Discusses how states are aligning funding, infrastructure, and community partnerships to expand access to care and improve outcomes.
Author(s): Mary Louise Gilburg, Morgan McDonald
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Peer Recovery Supports for Behavioral Health in Rural Communities
Discusses behavioral health peer recovery support services in rural and agricultural communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for overcoming behavioral health barriers, such as addressing stigma, social isolation, and scarcity of services through community and peer supports.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses behavioral health peer recovery support services in rural and agricultural communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for overcoming behavioral health barriers, such as addressing stigma, social isolation, and scarcity of services through community and peer supports.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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April 2026 MACPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) April 2026 meeting. Covers community engagement requirements in Medicaid, state and federal tools for ensuring accountability of Medicaid managed care plans, the role of the state Medicaid agency in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), pharmacy benefit managers and Medicaid, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) April 2026 meeting. Covers community engagement requirements in Medicaid, state and federal tools for ensuring accountability of Medicaid managed care plans, the role of the state Medicaid agency in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), pharmacy benefit managers and Medicaid, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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April 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2026 meeting. Covers Medicare payment incentives, regional benchmarks and benchmark-plan availability in the Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) market, preferred networks and pharmacy access in Medicare Part D, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, information sources that beneficiaries use to make Medicare enrollment decisions, and institutional special-needs plans. Includes a mandated report on the assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Advising the Congress on Medicare Issues Preferred Networks and Pharmacy Access in Part D, Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2026 meeting. Covers Medicare payment incentives, regional benchmarks and benchmark-plan availability in the Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) market, preferred networks and pharmacy access in Medicare Part D, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, information sources that beneficiaries use to make Medicare enrollment decisions, and institutional special-needs plans. Includes a mandated report on the assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Advising the Congress on Medicare Issues Preferred Networks and Pharmacy Access in Part D, Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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A Roadmap for Building and Implementing a Comprehensive State Graduate Medical Education Strategy: Actionable Steps to Align Investments with Workforce Needs
Offers an evidence-based framework that organizes a graduate medical education (GME) growth strategy into 5 stages. Can be used as part of federal Rural Health Transformation Program activities to strengthen workforce recruitment and retention and to improve healthcare access in rural areas. Table 1 shows state GME models and technical assistance initiatives.
Author(s): Lori Rodefeld, Emily M. Hawes, Raquel Davis, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Offers an evidence-based framework that organizes a graduate medical education (GME) growth strategy into 5 stages. Can be used as part of federal Rural Health Transformation Program activities to strengthen workforce recruitment and retention and to improve healthcare access in rural areas. Table 1 shows state GME models and technical assistance initiatives.
Author(s): Lori Rodefeld, Emily M. Hawes, Raquel Davis, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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