Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Most Medicare Advantage Markets are Dominated by One or Two Insurers
Examines the competitiveness of Medicare Advantage (MA) markets at the county level. Explores how often one or two Medicare Advantage insurers enrolled at least half of all enrollees within a county. Compares data on the share of counties in very concentrated MA markets across urban, rural adjacent, and rural non-adjacent counties.
Author(s): Nicole Zhu, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Nolan Sroczynski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Examines the competitiveness of Medicare Advantage (MA) markets at the county level. Explores how often one or two Medicare Advantage insurers enrolled at least half of all enrollees within a county. Compares data on the share of counties in very concentrated MA markets across urban, rural adjacent, and rural non-adjacent counties.
Author(s): Nicole Zhu, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Nolan Sroczynski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Confronting the Crisis: Actions to Address Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Among Black Women in Rural Georgia
Discusses the issue of maternal mortality among Black women in rural Georgia. Focuses on policy, proposed solutions and strategies, and community-based collaborations that can provide improved maternal healthcare access to rural areas of Georgia.
Author(s): Jalen Robinson, Jaliyah Screen, Carey Roth Bayer
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 07/2025
view details
Discusses the issue of maternal mortality among Black women in rural Georgia. Focuses on policy, proposed solutions and strategies, and community-based collaborations that can provide improved maternal healthcare access to rural areas of Georgia.
Author(s): Jalen Robinson, Jaliyah Screen, Carey Roth Bayer
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 07/2025
view details
Establishing First Age-Friendly Health System Tele-Palliative Care Clinic – Facilitators, Challenges, Lessons Learned to Improve Care for Rural, Older Veterans
Presents a study exploring an age-friendly tele-palliative care clinic for older veterans. Highlights challenges and successes of using telehealth to provide palliative care to older rural veterans in Colorado.
Author(s): Stephanie Hartz, Alexander Garbin, Kathryn Allen Nearing, et al.
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 07/2025
view details
Presents a study exploring an age-friendly tele-palliative care clinic for older veterans. Highlights challenges and successes of using telehealth to provide palliative care to older rural veterans in Colorado.
Author(s): Stephanie Hartz, Alexander Garbin, Kathryn Allen Nearing, et al.
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 07/2025
view details
Diabetic Retinopathy in Rural Communities: A Review of Barriers to Access of Care and Potential Solutions
Narrative review examining diabetic retinopathy (DR) prevalence and barriers to care in rural communities. Identifies factors contributing to poor access to care and suggests potential solutions, covering topics including telehealth use, workforce supply and distribution, healthcare policy, and more.
Author(s): James Burmeister, Madeline N. Pham, Forrest Bohler, Caleb North
Citation: Annals of Medicine, 57, 2522323
Date: 07/2025
view details
Narrative review examining diabetic retinopathy (DR) prevalence and barriers to care in rural communities. Identifies factors contributing to poor access to care and suggests potential solutions, covering topics including telehealth use, workforce supply and distribution, healthcare policy, and more.
Author(s): James Burmeister, Madeline N. Pham, Forrest Bohler, Caleb North
Citation: Annals of Medicine, 57, 2522323
Date: 07/2025
view details
Obstetric Care Access Declined in Rural and Urban Hospitals Across US States, 2010–22
Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
view details
Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
view details
Disparities in Timely Access to Certified Stroke Care Among US Census Tracts, by Prevalence of Health Risk Factors
Examines census tract-level demographic and health characteristics associated with drive times of greater than 60 minutes from certified stroke care or advanced stroke care in the contiguous United States. Highlights rural access disparities and discusses implications for health practice to improve stroke care access in underserved areas.
Author(s): Linda Schieb, Joshua Tootoo, Melissa Fiffer, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240429
Date: 07/2025
view details
Examines census tract-level demographic and health characteristics associated with drive times of greater than 60 minutes from certified stroke care or advanced stroke care in the contiguous United States. Highlights rural access disparities and discusses implications for health practice to improve stroke care access in underserved areas.
Author(s): Linda Schieb, Joshua Tootoo, Melissa Fiffer, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240429
Date: 07/2025
view details
Empowering Patients to Participate in Clinical Trials
Discusses the importance of clinical trials as well as the barriers that impact participant enrollment and retention. Provides strategies and policy suggestions to improve participation in clinical trials for various populations, including those in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Agata Bodie
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Discusses the importance of clinical trials as well as the barriers that impact participant enrollment and retention. Provides strategies and policy suggestions to improve participation in clinical trials for various populations, including those in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Agata Bodie
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Cancer in Rural America: Improving Access to Clinical Trials and Quality of Oncologic Care
Discusses the importance of rural populations accessing oncologic clinical trials to decrease cancer morbidity and mortality rates in rural areas. Provides rural versus urban patient data on distance from trial sites as well as prevalence of chronic disease. Suggests strategies and policies to improve access to clinical trials.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger, Barbara L. McAneny, Raymond U. Osarogiagbon
Citation: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 75(4), 341-361
Date: 07/2025
view details
Discusses the importance of rural populations accessing oncologic clinical trials to decrease cancer morbidity and mortality rates in rural areas. Provides rural versus urban patient data on distance from trial sites as well as prevalence of chronic disease. Suggests strategies and policies to improve access to clinical trials.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger, Barbara L. McAneny, Raymond U. Osarogiagbon
Citation: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 75(4), 341-361
Date: 07/2025
view details
EMS Service Integration in American Indian and Native Alaskan Rural Communities
Highlights several initiatives aimed at expanding emergency medical services (EMS) in tribal communities. Explores the role of tribal sovereignty, cost effectiveness, and infrastructure improvements in expanding and optimizing EMS in tribal communities.
Author(s): Chelsea Tsasse, John Shufeldt
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 27(7), 525-529
Date: 07/2025
view details
Highlights several initiatives aimed at expanding emergency medical services (EMS) in tribal communities. Explores the role of tribal sovereignty, cost effectiveness, and infrastructure improvements in expanding and optimizing EMS in tribal communities.
Author(s): Chelsea Tsasse, John Shufeldt
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 27(7), 525-529
Date: 07/2025
view details
Access and Quality of Mental Health Services in Rural and Urban America
Research brief documenting recent trends in mental healthcare access and quality in urban and rural communities. Features state-level maps showing locations of mental health facilities, a county-level map with shadings showing driving distances to any mental health facility or access to telehealth, and statistics on ZIP code area demographics, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural area.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
view details
Research brief documenting recent trends in mental healthcare access and quality in urban and rural communities. Features state-level maps showing locations of mental health facilities, a county-level map with shadings showing driving distances to any mental health facility or access to telehealth, and statistics on ZIP code area demographics, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural area.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
view details