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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency department and urgent care services

Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Third Evaluation Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests 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. Explores which bridge organization and community characteristics were associated with better implementation outcomes, and the beneficiary-level characteristics were associated with a greater probability of accepting navigation, having at least one HRSN resolved, or having all HRSNs resolved. Examines the extent to which bridge organizations met model requirements. Includes information on the availability and quality of community resources to address HRSNs in rural communities.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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How Emergency Departments Are Responding to the Opioid Crisis: Results from a Statewide Survey in Kentucky
Examines hospital emergency departments (EDs) in Kentucky and their substance use disorder (SUD) services. Utilizes 2023 survey data from ED directors and discusses themes such as use of buprenorphine, referrals to community providers, social work services, screening processes, care continuity and more. Includes feedback about access to and availability of SUD services in rural areas.
Author(s): Olivia K. Sugarman, Samantha J. Harris, Lauren Byrne, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19, 78
Date: 11/2024
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Dashboard: Acute Behavioral Health Events Along the Birthing Journey in Arkansas
Provides data on acute behavioral health events, including mental health and substance abuse diagnoses, among Arkansas mothers, utilizing 2019-2022 Arkansas Healthcare Transparency Initiative (HTI) data. Features clinical, demographic, and payer data associated with patients and individual encounters, recurring encounters, and outpatient visits, and can be sorted by region and county.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
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Costs of Treat-and-Release Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2021
Explores the cost of treat-and-release emergency department (ED) visits in the United States in 2021. Describes findings from an analysis of the 2021 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Presents data on the aggregate costs, average cost, and number of ED visits by patient and hospital characteristics, including patient age; sex; primary expected payer; community-level income; and metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural status.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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A Proposed Method for Identifying Interfacility Transfers in Medicare Claims Data
Discusses a methodology for identifying interfacility transfers (IFTs) to prevent underrepresentation of low-income and rural patients in the data. Utilizes 2011–2020 Medicare claims data of patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) to examine transfers with breakdowns according to age; sex; race; income; access to emergency department (ED), trauma, or intensive care unit (ICU) care; and metro, micro, or rural location.
Author(s): Sayeh Nikpay, Michelle Leeberg, Katy Kozhimannil, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1)
Date: 09/2024
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Implementation of a Rural Emergency Department-initiated Buprenorphine Program in the Mountain West: A Study Protocol
Protocol for a study of emergency department (ED) initiation of buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the rural Mountain West. Discusses study design, implementation strategies, and barriers to OUD treatment access and provision in rural areas.
Author(s): Natasha Seliski, Troy Madsen, Savannah Eley, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19, 63
Date: 09/2024
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The Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions Was on the Rise Before the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Pandemic Had a Negative Effect on Mental Health
Data spotlight on mental illness, depression, and suicide among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes disparities and discusses barriers to care related to a variety of sociodemographic factors including geography. See Figures 3, 7, and 8 for data on health professional shortage areas (HPSAs), mental health-related emergency department visits, and suicide deaths by level of rurality.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Healthcare Spending among Diverse Populations with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: A Claims-Based Analysis
Examines healthcare spending and utilization among commercially insured Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) patients. Explores the impact of race and ethnicity, poverty, and urban/rural status on annual spending among ADRD patients by analyzing data from the FAIR Health National Private Insurance Claims between January 2016 and December 2023, along with demographic and socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Includes data on the probability of ADRD patients using different care venues and the average and expected amounts allowed within each venue based on sociodemographic characteristics.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: FAIR Health
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Differences in Use of Veterans Health Administration and Non-VHA Hospitals by Rural and Urban Veterans After Access Expansions
Presents a study on rural and urban differences in acute inpatient care utilization in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA hospitals following expansions to the Veterans Choice Act. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, such as age, sex, and race, among others.
Author(s): Matthew P. Dizon, Kenneth W. Kizer, Michael K. Ong, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 446-456
Date: 06/2024
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Association of Uninsured Status and Rurality with Risk of Financial Toxicity after Pediatric Trauma
Analyzes the risk of financial toxicity associated with pediatric traumatic injury for rural versus urban families. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Inpatient Sample patient data. Includes data on financial toxicity associated with uninsured status, rural versus urban insurance type, and rural versus urban demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics.
Author(s): Amulya Vadlakonda, Nam Yong Cho, Nikhil Chervu, et al.
Citation: Surgery, 176(2), 455-461
Date: 05/2024
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