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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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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Vaccine-Preventable Conditions: Disparities in Hospitalizations Affecting Rural Communities in the Southeast United States
Examines hospitalizations related to vaccine-preventable diseases in southeastern U.S. communities. Analyzes data prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic across 3 age groups: pre-school children, school-aged children, and adults. Provides data breakdowns according to condition, age, and large metro, small/medium metro, or micro/non-core location.
Author(s): Etienne Pracht, Christina Eldredge, Divyani Tangudu, Richa Phuel, Athanasios Tsalatsanis
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(4), 466
Date: 03/2025
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Examines hospitalizations related to vaccine-preventable diseases in southeastern U.S. communities. Analyzes data prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic across 3 age groups: pre-school children, school-aged children, and adults. Provides data breakdowns according to condition, age, and large metro, small/medium metro, or micro/non-core location.
Author(s): Etienne Pracht, Christina Eldredge, Divyani Tangudu, Richa Phuel, Athanasios Tsalatsanis
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(4), 466
Date: 03/2025
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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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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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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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Analyzing Temporal Patterns in Frequent Emergency Department Visits among Oncology Patients Using Semantic Similarity Measures
Analyzes patterns in frequent emergency department (ED) use among patients with and without cancer, utilizing 2018-2019 ED visit data of 5 rural and 5 urban Illinois hospitals. Compares patient characteristics, cancer versus non-cancer patient mix, and proximity to care in rural and urban EDs. Discusses cancer patients as a priority group for improving access and service delivery to produce better outcomes and reduce emergency services use.
Author(s): Hyojung Kang, Lloyd Fernandes, John P. Riordan
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 89, 51-56
Date: 01/2025
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Analyzes patterns in frequent emergency department (ED) use among patients with and without cancer, utilizing 2018-2019 ED visit data of 5 rural and 5 urban Illinois hospitals. Compares patient characteristics, cancer versus non-cancer patient mix, and proximity to care in rural and urban EDs. Discusses cancer patients as a priority group for improving access and service delivery to produce better outcomes and reduce emergency services use.
Author(s): Hyojung Kang, Lloyd Fernandes, John P. Riordan
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 89, 51-56
Date: 01/2025
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AHRQ Summit to Address Emergency Department Boarding: Technical Report
Report from an October 2024 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) summit to discuss emergency department boarding. Examines some of emergency physicians' biggest concerns and highlights possible solutions to address boarding head-on, including enhancing measurement and standards, re-aligning hospital incentives, and increasing support to empower emergency physicians to do their jobs effectively. Includes sections on rural patients and rural areas.
Author(s): Robin M. Weinick, Sean Bruna, Rachael M. Boicourt, Sean S. Michael, Laura L. Sessums
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Report from an October 2024 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) summit to discuss emergency department boarding. Examines some of emergency physicians' biggest concerns and highlights possible solutions to address boarding head-on, including enhancing measurement and standards, re-aligning hospital incentives, and increasing support to empower emergency physicians to do their jobs effectively. Includes sections on rural patients and rural areas.
Author(s): Robin M. Weinick, Sean Bruna, Rachael M. Boicourt, Sean S. Michael, Laura L. Sessums
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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