Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency department and urgent care services
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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Prioritizing High-Volume Repair Hospitals with Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, for Rural and Nonrural Patients
Examines associations between in-hospital ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) mortality, hospital rAAA repair volume, patient rurality, and patient transfer status, using 2015-2020 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database (HCUP SID) data of 1,744 patients who underwent rAAA repair in New York and Florida.
Author(s): Neha H. Shetty, Hasan Nassereldine, Kristina E. Rudd, et al.
Citation: Journal of Vascular Surgery, 83(4), 1089-1099
Date: 04/2026
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Examines associations between in-hospital ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) mortality, hospital rAAA repair volume, patient rurality, and patient transfer status, using 2015-2020 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database (HCUP SID) data of 1,744 patients who underwent rAAA repair in New York and Florida.
Author(s): Neha H. Shetty, Hasan Nassereldine, Kristina E. Rudd, et al.
Citation: Journal of Vascular Surgery, 83(4), 1089-1099
Date: 04/2026
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Acute Stroke Capabilities in California: Association with Rurality and Telestroke Access
Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
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Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
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Geospatial Structural Isolation Analysis of Emergency Services in New York State
Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Final Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, RTI International
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REH Learning Brief: Obstetric Care in Rural Emergency Hospitals
Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Simulation on Wheels: How Mobile Training Is Saving Lives in Rural Iowa
Podcast episode that discusses Simulation in Motion-Iowa (SIM-IA), a mobile clinical education program that provides rural hospitals and emergency medical service (EMS) professionals training experience in healthcare emergencies. Discusses the importance of SIM-IA in rural healthcare education to promote quality and patient safety in EMS and trauma situations.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Jacinda Bunch, Tina Eden
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode that discusses Simulation in Motion-Iowa (SIM-IA), a mobile clinical education program that provides rural hospitals and emergency medical service (EMS) professionals training experience in healthcare emergencies. Discusses the importance of SIM-IA in rural healthcare education to promote quality and patient safety in EMS and trauma situations.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Jacinda Bunch, Tina Eden
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Learning Modalities During COVID-19 and Adolescent Mental Health in North Carolina
Examines virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning modalities and their impact on adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes mental health emergency department (ED) visits in North Carolina alongside county-level information on learning modalities used over time. Provides rural versus urban data on impacts of learning modality on mental health.
Author(s): Justin Cole Gilbert, Martie P. Thompson, Sophia Ryan, Manan Roy
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(1), e70093
Date: 01/2026
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Examines virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning modalities and their impact on adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes mental health emergency department (ED) visits in North Carolina alongside county-level information on learning modalities used over time. Provides rural versus urban data on impacts of learning modality on mental health.
Author(s): Justin Cole Gilbert, Martie P. Thompson, Sophia Ryan, Manan Roy
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(1), e70093
Date: 01/2026
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Advancing Trauma Systems in the United States: Bridging Disparities Through State-Level Legislation and a Health Systems Approach
Discusses disparities in trauma care in rural and urban communities in the United States. Examines weaknesses in the current trauma system and provides associated legislative solutions. Offers policy strategies for rural regions and trauma systems with limited capacity.
Author(s): Bilal Irfan, Zain Hashmi, Tatiana Ramos, Molly Jarman
Citation: Health Services Research, e70073
Date: 12/2025
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Discusses disparities in trauma care in rural and urban communities in the United States. Examines weaknesses in the current trauma system and provides associated legislative solutions. Offers policy strategies for rural regions and trauma systems with limited capacity.
Author(s): Bilal Irfan, Zain Hashmi, Tatiana Ramos, Molly Jarman
Citation: Health Services Research, e70073
Date: 12/2025
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Reimbursement and Policy Considerations of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Rural Family Medicine
Examines the current Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) reimbursement landscape, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in rural primary care and emergency departments. Includes a section on financial differences between providing POCUS in Critical Access Hospitals and in Rural Health Clinics.
Author(s): Kylie Long, Geoffrey Bocobo, Andrew Goldsmith
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 38(6), 967-973
Date: 11/2025
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Examines the current Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) reimbursement landscape, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in rural primary care and emergency departments. Includes a section on financial differences between providing POCUS in Critical Access Hospitals and in Rural Health Clinics.
Author(s): Kylie Long, Geoffrey Bocobo, Andrew Goldsmith
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 38(6), 967-973
Date: 11/2025
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