Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency department and urgent care services
Impact of Telemental Health on Suicide Prevention Care in U.S. Emergency Departments
Describes results of a survey of 977 hospital emergency departments regarding the use of telemental healthcare, and presents data by hospital characteristics, including rural location and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status. Explores whether access to telemental healthcare affects use of six recommended suicide prevention practices. Compares the use of suicide prevention practices among patients with identified suicide risk by telemental healthcare status and CAH designation.
Author(s): Stephanie K. Doupnik, Cadence F. Bowden, Diana Worsley, et al.
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine, 32(9), 956-965
Date: 05/2025
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Describes results of a survey of 977 hospital emergency departments regarding the use of telemental healthcare, and presents data by hospital characteristics, including rural location and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status. Explores whether access to telemental healthcare affects use of six recommended suicide prevention practices. Compares the use of suicide prevention practices among patients with identified suicide risk by telemental healthcare status and CAH designation.
Author(s): Stephanie K. Doupnik, Cadence F. Bowden, Diana Worsley, et al.
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine, 32(9), 956-965
Date: 05/2025
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Emergency Department Boarding, Inpatient Census, and Interhospital Transfer Acceptances
Examines hospital crowding by analyzing associations between emergency department (ED) boarding and inpatient census with interhospital transfer (IHT) acceptances. Utilizes 2019-2023 data from an academic, level I trauma center in a southwestern state to compare urban and rural transfer requests and if the requests were accepted or denied.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Neil Kamdar, Kjirsten Swenson, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Examines hospital crowding by analyzing associations between emergency department (ED) boarding and inpatient census with interhospital transfer (IHT) acceptances. Utilizes 2019-2023 data from an academic, level I trauma center in a southwestern state to compare urban and rural transfer requests and if the requests were accepted or denied.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Neil Kamdar, Kjirsten Swenson, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Wait Times for Medical Appointments among Adults Age 50 and Older
Reports on wait times and distance to healthcare services in rural and urban communities, utilizing data from a February 2025 survey of 1,012 adults age 50 or older. Breaks down data by level of rurality, type of facility, and type of care provided.
Additional links: Annotated Questionnaire
Author(s): Teresa A. Keenan
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Reports on wait times and distance to healthcare services in rural and urban communities, utilizing data from a February 2025 survey of 1,012 adults age 50 or older. Breaks down data by level of rurality, type of facility, and type of care provided.
Additional links: Annotated Questionnaire
Author(s): Teresa A. Keenan
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Nonfatal Injury Emergency Department Visits and Inpatient Hospitalizations Among Persons Under Age 65 With an Intellectual and Developmental Disability or Deaf or Hard of Hearing Disability
Analyzes disparities in emergency department and inpatient hospitalization among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), people who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), and those without IDD or DHH. Utilizes Kentucky ED and inpatient discharge data from 2019 to 2023. Breaks down data by demographic category, including metropolitan or nonmetropolitan dwelling.
Author(s): Terry L. Bunn, Jacqueline Seals, Dana Quesinberry, Alaina Murphy, Julia F. Costich
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 12, 27
Date: 05/2025
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Analyzes disparities in emergency department and inpatient hospitalization among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), people who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), and those without IDD or DHH. Utilizes Kentucky ED and inpatient discharge data from 2019 to 2023. Breaks down data by demographic category, including metropolitan or nonmetropolitan dwelling.
Author(s): Terry L. Bunn, Jacqueline Seals, Dana Quesinberry, Alaina Murphy, Julia F. Costich
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 12, 27
Date: 05/2025
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2024 National CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment National Report
Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2024 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2024 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Strategies for Sustaining Emergency Care in the United States
Assesses the value of emergency care in the United States, evaluates challenges to sustaining emergency care, measures trends in emergency care payment, and identifies alternate funding strategies for emergency care. Features a case study of a hospital-based emergency department closure in a rural community, and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Brian Briscombe, Carl T. Berdahl, et al.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Assesses the value of emergency care in the United States, evaluates challenges to sustaining emergency care, measures trends in emergency care payment, and identifies alternate funding strategies for emergency care. Features a case study of a hospital-based emergency department closure in a rural community, and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Brian Briscombe, Carl T. Berdahl, et al.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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FH Healthcare Indicators and FH Medical Price Index 2025: An Annual View of Place of Service Trends and Medical Pricing
White paper exploring changes in healthcare utilization, demographic and geographic factors, diagnoses, costs, and procedures. Features statistics including usage of retail clinics and telehealth from 2018-2023; and urgent care, ambulatory surgery centers, and emergency rooms from 2014-2024. Includes comparisons of utilization of each service type by urban and rural location.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: FAIR Health
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White paper exploring changes in healthcare utilization, demographic and geographic factors, diagnoses, costs, and procedures. Features statistics including usage of retail clinics and telehealth from 2018-2023; and urgent care, ambulatory surgery centers, and emergency rooms from 2014-2024. Includes comparisons of utilization of each service type by urban and rural location.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: FAIR Health
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Epidemiology of 911 Calls for Opioid Overdose in Nogales, Arizona
Presents a study reviewing the 911 calls pertaining to opioid overdose in the Nogales, AZ area. Details the prehospital care received in the rural, borderland community and evaluates EMS's adherence to naloxone distribution protocol.
Author(s): Melody Glenn, Darien Stratton, Keith Primeau, Amber Rice
Citation: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, 26(3)
Date: 03/2025
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Presents a study reviewing the 911 calls pertaining to opioid overdose in the Nogales, AZ area. Details the prehospital care received in the rural, borderland community and evaluates EMS's adherence to naloxone distribution protocol.
Author(s): Melody Glenn, Darien Stratton, Keith Primeau, Amber Rice
Citation: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, 26(3)
Date: 03/2025
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Trends in Emergency Department, Primary Care, and Behavioral Health Use for Pediatric Mental Health Conditions in Virginia Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines the relationship between access to primary and behavioral care and pediatric emergency department (ED) visits. Utilizes 2016-2021 data from the Virginia All-Payers Claims Database to analyze pediatric ED visits, mental health ED visits, ED visits for suicidality, and 2016 versus 2021 ED visits by various sociodemographic factors, including rural location.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Gilbert, Bergen B. Nelson, Jacqueline Britz, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 54
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the relationship between access to primary and behavioral care and pediatric emergency department (ED) visits. Utilizes 2016-2021 data from the Virginia All-Payers Claims Database to analyze pediatric ED visits, mental health ED visits, ED visits for suicidality, and 2016 versus 2021 ED visits by various sociodemographic factors, including rural location.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Gilbert, Bergen B. Nelson, Jacqueline Britz, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 54
Date: 02/2025
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Using Social Risks to Predict Unplanned Hospital Readmission and Emergency Care Among Hospitalized Veterans
Examines the correlation of hospital readmission rates of veterans and social risk. Utilizes 2016-2022 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data to create a social risk index, focusing on domains such as psychosocial, financial, housing, food insecurity, violence, access to care, neighborhood deprivation, and more. Includes breakdowns of social risk according to sociodemographic variables, VA priority enrollment, hospital readmission, and rural, highly rural, or urban.
Author(s): Portia Y. Cornell, Cassandra L. Hua, Zachary M. Buchalksi, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1)
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the correlation of hospital readmission rates of veterans and social risk. Utilizes 2016-2022 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data to create a social risk index, focusing on domains such as psychosocial, financial, housing, food insecurity, violence, access to care, neighborhood deprivation, and more. Includes breakdowns of social risk according to sociodemographic variables, VA priority enrollment, hospital readmission, and rural, highly rural, or urban.
Author(s): Portia Y. Cornell, Cassandra L. Hua, Zachary M. Buchalksi, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1)
Date: 02/2025
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