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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Important Factors To Consider When Developing Rural Healthcare Systems: Suggestions From A Moloka'i Native
Highlights a number of factors to consider when developing healthcare systems for rural indigenous communities in Hawaii. Discusses community factors, workforce education, and material factors important to providing healthcare to the Moloka'i people.
Author(s): Luke Kikukawa
Citation: Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 76(3), 47-48
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
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Medicaid Expansion in Louisiana: Perspectives of Providers from Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers
Reports on interviews with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Louisiana to analyze the impact of Medicaid expansion. Describes the impact on health care access, changes made by FQHCs and RHCs, and the need for more healthcare providers.
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Public Health Institute
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Native Children's Policy Agenda
Presents a report detailing policy recommendations for the health and well-being of Native American youth. Discusses the challenges facing Native children, such as lack of access to healthcare and healthy food, environmental hazards, and affordable housing, among others. Makes corresponding recommendations for tribal governments and federal policymakers.
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: First Kids 1st Initiative, National Congress of American Indians, National Indian Child Welfare Association, National Indian Education Association, National Indian Health Board
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Food Insecurity and Chronic Diseases Among American Indians in Rural Oklahoma: The THRIVE Study
Details a study on food security and cardiovascular disease in American Indians in Oklahoma. Bases conclusions on survey data from 513 AI adults from 2 tribal nations completed between April and May of 2015. Breaks down data by age, gender, and education, as well as rates of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
Author(s): Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, Marianna S. Wetherill, Jordan Hearod
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 107(3), 441-446
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
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Rural Hospital Environmental Impact Study
Examines the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, particularly as it relates to rural Texas, by focusing on four areas: the state of healthcare, rural hospital closures and vulnerabilities, the impact of the Affordable Care Act, and uninsurance rates. Presents information about the current and future state of healthcare in rural Texas to support rural health policymakers.
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
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How Could Repealing Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act Affect Community Health Centers and Their Patients?
Analyzes and estimates the potential effects of repealing certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), focusing primarily on the implications for community health centers located in medically underserved communities. Examines how each of the following actions may affect health centers and primary healthcare access: ending the Health Centers Fund, ending health insurance subsidies, and ending expanded Medicaid coverage.
Author(s): Sara J. Rosenbaum, Jessica Sharac, Thao-Chi Tran, et al.
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management
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Evaluation of Provider Network in the Iowa Dental Wellness Plan, 2014-2016
Reports on Iowa's Dental Wellness Plan (DWP) provider network established due to the poor oral health status of low-income residents and need for dental care within the state. Compares the first and second year of the DWP using outcomes measures that include dentist supply and distance to the nearest dentist in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.
Author(s): Susan McKernan, Mark Pooley, Aparna Ingleshwar, Elizabeth Momany, Peter Damiano
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Public Policy Center
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Using Telemedicine to Increase Access, Improve Care in Rural Communities
Examines Avera Health, an integrated delivery system based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to highlight how telehealth can be used to improve access in rural areas. Avera offers "eEmergency" telehealth services to more than 130 rural hospitals and "ePharmacy" services to roughly 75 rural hospitals, and other telehealth services. Discusses Avera's expansion into other areas where provider recruitment may be difficult, including prisons, schools, and long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Martha Hostetter
Citation: Transforming Care: Reporting on Health System Improvement
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Combatting the Opioid Epidemic with Provider and Public Education
Highlights from a conversation with Fred Wells Brason II, discussing community-based efforts to reduce opioid misuse and abuse in rural communities. Brason helped found Project Lazarus in Wilkes County, North Carolina, which reduced the overdose rate in Wilkes County by 72 percent over three years. The Project Lazarus model has since spread to more than 20 states and focuses on cross-sector collaboration, public and provider education, and increasing access to treatment.
Citation: Transforming Care: Reporting on Health System Improvement
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Anticipating Economic Returns of Rural Telehealth
Discusses the quantifiable and nonquantifiable benefits of utilizing telehealth services in rural areas across the U.S. Provides tables showing estimated savings on travel expenses, lost wages, and hospital costs by state. Outlines some of the challenges facing telehealth and makes recommendations for future improvements. Links to a video showing the author presenting portions of the paper at a Foundation for Rural Service event.
Additional links: Video Presentation
Author(s): Rick Schadelbauer
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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