Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Veterans' Health Care: Proper Plan Needed to Modernize System for Paying Community Providers
Examines the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Medicare and TRICARE systems in regards to processing Veterans healthcare claims including processing times and factors that have impeded processing and payment, as well as modified provisions to improve claim processing. Provides an overview of the Veterans Choice Program and other types of community healthcare programs offered by Veterans Affairs (VA).
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Randall B. Williamson
Date: 05/2016
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Medicare and TRICARE systems in regards to processing Veterans healthcare claims including processing times and factors that have impeded processing and payment, as well as modified provisions to improve claim processing. Provides an overview of the Veterans Choice Program and other types of community healthcare programs offered by Veterans Affairs (VA).
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Randall B. Williamson
Date: 05/2016
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Health Information Exchange: A Strategy for Improving Access for Rural Veterans in the Maine Flex Rural Veterans Health Access Program
Describes the design and implementation of a project to expand access to healthcare for rural veterans through a bi-directional link between a statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE) in Maine and Veterans Administration facilities. Discusses challenges and successes encountered in developing a health information system that is interoperable between a variety of complex agencies.
Author(s): Karen B. Pearson, Amanda Burgess, John A. Gale, Andrew F. Coburn, Anush Yousefian Hansen
Date: 05/2016
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the design and implementation of a project to expand access to healthcare for rural veterans through a bi-directional link between a statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE) in Maine and Veterans Administration facilities. Discusses challenges and successes encountered in developing a health information system that is interoperable between a variety of complex agencies.
Author(s): Karen B. Pearson, Amanda Burgess, John A. Gale, Andrew F. Coburn, Anush Yousefian Hansen
Date: 05/2016
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Improving Efficiency and Preserving Access to Emergency Care in Rural Areas
Slides that provide background on rural hospital payment policy and strategies to preserve access to emergency care in rural areas. Discusses existing payment models and benefits and drawbacks of different models.
Author(s): Jeff Stensland, Zach Gaumer
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Slides that provide background on rural hospital payment policy and strategies to preserve access to emergency care in rural areas. Discusses existing payment models and benefits and drawbacks of different models.
Author(s): Jeff Stensland, Zach Gaumer
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Challenges and Barriers to Health Care and Overall Health in Older Residents of Alaska: Evidence from a National Survey
Analyzes healthcare access and preventative health behaviors of the growing Alaskan senior population. Compares health status, healthcare coverage, and length of time between check-ups to seniors in the continental U.S. Describes the barriers of geographic isolation, climate, and poverty impacting Alaskan older adults.
Author(s): Julia D. Foutz, Steven A. Cohen, Sarah K. Cook
Citation: International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 75(1)
Date: 04/2016
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Analyzes healthcare access and preventative health behaviors of the growing Alaskan senior population. Compares health status, healthcare coverage, and length of time between check-ups to seniors in the continental U.S. Describes the barriers of geographic isolation, climate, and poverty impacting Alaskan older adults.
Author(s): Julia D. Foutz, Steven A. Cohen, Sarah K. Cook
Citation: International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 75(1)
Date: 04/2016
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Community Characteristics Associated with Where Urgent Care Centers Are Located: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Examines the qualities and characteristics of a community with a non-hospital-based urgent care center, regardless of location. Table 1 lists a comparison of communities with and without non-hospital-based urgent care centers.
Author(s): Sidney T Le, Renee Y Hsia
Citation: BMJ Open, 6(4)
Date: 04/2016
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Examines the qualities and characteristics of a community with a non-hospital-based urgent care center, regardless of location. Table 1 lists a comparison of communities with and without non-hospital-based urgent care centers.
Author(s): Sidney T Le, Renee Y Hsia
Citation: BMJ Open, 6(4)
Date: 04/2016
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15 Million Kids in Health Care Deserts: Can Telehealth Make a Difference?
Highlights healthcare access problems for rural children and children living in poverty. Discusses how telehealth can be implemented to overcome these barriers. Describes several case studies focused on improving access to healthcare services for children, including a rural school-based telehealth program.
Author(s): Dale Alverson, Julie Hall-Barrow, Denise M. Dion, et al.
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Children's Health Fund
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Highlights healthcare access problems for rural children and children living in poverty. Discusses how telehealth can be implemented to overcome these barriers. Describes several case studies focused on improving access to healthcare services for children, including a rural school-based telehealth program.
Author(s): Dale Alverson, Julie Hall-Barrow, Denise M. Dion, et al.
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Children's Health Fund
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Integrated Behavioral Health In Montana: A Baseline Assessment of Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities
Presents results from a baseline assessment of Montana's behavioral health system of care. Evaluates the possibility of addressing system deficiencies by implementing an integrated behavioral health model. Describes rural-specific benefits and challenges associated with system integration.
Additional links: Issue Brief
Author(s): Katie Loveland
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Montana Healthcare Foundation
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Presents results from a baseline assessment of Montana's behavioral health system of care. Evaluates the possibility of addressing system deficiencies by implementing an integrated behavioral health model. Describes rural-specific benefits and challenges associated with system integration.
Additional links: Issue Brief
Author(s): Katie Loveland
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Montana Healthcare Foundation
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Availability of New Medicaid Patient Appointments and the Role of Rural Health Clinics
Results of a study conducted between November 2012 and April 2013, examining Rural Health Clinics in 10 states in terms of their willingness to accept new primary care patients on Medicaid. Features statistics on patient acceptance rates and appointment rates, with breakdowns by 6 levels of urban-rural classification.
Author(s): Michael R. Richards, Brendan Saloner, Genevieve M. Kenney, Karin V. Rhodes, Daniel Polsky
Citation: Health Services Research, 51(2), 570-591
Date: 04/2016
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Results of a study conducted between November 2012 and April 2013, examining Rural Health Clinics in 10 states in terms of their willingness to accept new primary care patients on Medicaid. Features statistics on patient acceptance rates and appointment rates, with breakdowns by 6 levels of urban-rural classification.
Author(s): Michael R. Richards, Brendan Saloner, Genevieve M. Kenney, Karin V. Rhodes, Daniel Polsky
Citation: Health Services Research, 51(2), 570-591
Date: 04/2016
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Indian Health Service: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Patient Wait Times
Reviews Indian Health Services (IHS) oversight policies and finds healthcare access measurement issues within IHS due to poor performance tracking in place. Highlights inadequate services at some facilities that have resulted in long wait times and lower quality of care provided.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reviews Indian Health Services (IHS) oversight policies and finds healthcare access measurement issues within IHS due to poor performance tracking in place. Highlights inadequate services at some facilities that have resulted in long wait times and lower quality of care provided.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Economic Impact of Rural Broadband
Provides an estimate of the direct and indirect economic activities of the rural broadband industry on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and their effect on other rural industries, including healthcare.
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Hudson Institute
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Provides an estimate of the direct and indirect economic activities of the rural broadband industry on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and their effect on other rural industries, including healthcare.
Date: 04/2016
Sponsoring organization: Hudson Institute
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