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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Emergency Department Care for Children During the 2022 Viral Respiratory Illness Surge
Analyzed over 2.7 million pediatric viral and respiratory emergency department visits in Michigan in 2021 and 2022 to describe wait times, length of stay, and revisits in both surge and non-surge periods. Includes rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Alexander T. Janke, Courtney W. Mangus, Christopher M. Fung, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(12)
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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2023 National Preparedness Report
Summarizes progress made and challenges that remain in building and sustaining capabilities needed to prevent and recover from threats and incidents that pose the greatest risk to the nation. Examines some of the disasters that occurred in 2022 and includes sections on risk areas, capability areas, and focus areas, including fire management, supply chain management, public health and emergency medical services, and long-term vulnerability reduction.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Building Resilience through Disaster Relief and Recovery
Describes the impact of climate events on rural populations and community infrastructure. Provides strategies for localized disaster response and recovery solutions by utilizing partnerships, building resilience, and improving food access. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Author(s): Jonathan Sury, Nick Wiersma, Pam Chatman
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Study Protocol: Maintaining Preventive Care During Public Health Emergencies Through Effective Coordination
Presents a qualitative study protocol that examines screening rates at VA medical centers during COVID-19 to determine strategies that provide continued care during public health emergencies. Discusses selection of sites, which will be based on rurality, COVID-19 patient caseload, and performance related to cancer and mental health screenings. Highlights the importance of care coordination teams in regard to specialty care.
Author(s): Sylvia J. Hysong, Traber Davis Giardina, Jennifer Freytag, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 4, 150
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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RHC Emergency Preparedness 101
Recording of a November 7, 2023, webinar on Rural Health Clinic (RHC) emergency preparedness requirements. Provides an overview of the regulatory and interpretive guidance requirements and discusses the components of an emergency preparedness manual. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Public Health Preparedness: Building and Maintaining Infrastructure beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic
Describes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding programs that support public health infrastructure and preparedness at the state and local levels. Examines challenges identified by officials across 12 jurisdictions and 10 stakeholder groups regarding building and maintaining the public health and preparedness infrastructure. Appendix III profiles the 12 selected jurisdictions, notes the rurality of each jurisdiction, and outlines examples of projects funded by CDC awards.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Aligning Systems for Health: Research Learnings from Across the Nation
Summarizes findings from three cohorts funded through the Aligning Systems for Health initiative, which explores how systems can better work together to address community goals and needs. Covers research on how established collaborative systems responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, how collaborative systems can be measured, and the evidence base around approaches and conditions that foster collaborative systems. Features findings from the Strengthening Health Equity in Recovery Outcomes (SHERO) study, which measured and described the context surrounding cross-sector alignment within rural and urban community networks in Kentucky, and system alignment efforts across four tribal partners.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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Recovering from a Cybersecurity Attack and Protecting the Future in Small, Rural Health Organizations
Discusses the impact cyber-attacks can have on rural healthcare facilities. Features two Critical Access Hospital leaders describing attacks at their organizations. Shares insights from an information technology compliance expert, including actions organizations can take to protect themselves.
Author(s): Tami Lichtenberg
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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2022 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness (NHS)
Results of telephone interviews and web surveys conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from February-April 2022, to assess preparedness actions, attitudes, and motivations in America. Graphic on page 34 shows a rurality preparedness summary, with breakdowns by rural, urban, and urban cluster communities.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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2022 Preparedness Profile Study
Provides an overview of local health department (LHD) readiness in addressing emergencies and threats. Includes data on percentage of LHDs that focus on issues related to workforce, partnerships, preparedness capacity, and preparedness response activity, with select data broken down by small, medium, and large LHDs.
Author(s): Kellie Hall, Krishna Patel, Deise Galan, et al.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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