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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

COVID-19's Current Impact on Rural Healthcare Delivery: Q&A with Brock Slabach
An interview with Brock Slabach, the National Rural Health Association's Senior Vice President for Member Services. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on rural healthcare facilities, policy changes impacting rural providers, collaboration among rural communities to help share solutions, and the use of telehealth during the pandemic.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Details on HHS' Distribution of Emergency Funds to Hospitals with High COVID-19 Admissions and Rural Providers
An overview of the methodologies the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services used to distribute COVID-19-related funding to hospitals with high numbers of COVID-19 admissions, rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, and health centers. Includes a comparison of the terms and conditions of the different CARES Act funding programs.
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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COVID-19 and the Indian Health Service
Discusses how the Indian Health Service (IHS) has been impacted by COVID-19. Describes concerns some tribes have, including the IHS testing capacity for COVID-19, workforce shortages, and lost revenue at IHS facilities. Outlines federal funding efforts to enhance the IHS COVID-19 response.
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Urban and Rural Differences in Coronavirus Pandemic Preparedness
Examines the variation in hospital bed capacity by region in the U.S. and by metro and non-metro status. Discusses urban and rural differences in hospital resources, including hospital and ICU beds per capita. Provides an interactive map displaying hospital beds per capita and select demographic characteristics of metro and non-metro areas of each state and by hospital referral region.
Author(s): Kendal Orgera, Daniel McDermott, Matthew Rae, et al.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organizations: KFF, Peterson Center on Healthcare
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AARP Rural Livability Workshop Report
Report describing rural community characteristics with a focus on rural elders. Discusses rural demographics, community dynamics, public spaces, housing, transportation, economy, healthy living, broadband access, and disaster readiness.
Author(s): Melissa Stanton, Patricia Oh
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Federal Health Centers and COVID-19
Describes the early federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Health Center Program facilities, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Describes the funding directed to the Health Center Program and the flexibilities for FQHCs to provide telehealth services during the public health emergency.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Four Stages of Planning and Implementation During COVID-19: One Rural Hospital's Preparations
Highlights a rural California hospital's four stage plan in preparing for a potential patient surge related to the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses actions achieved to ensure quality in the current care and treatment of patients. Discusses the steps taken to provide care through community outreach and to maintain financial support.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural COVID-19 Case Study: Surviving a COVID-19 Surge
Profiles an Indiana Critical Access Hospital's early experience with COVID-19. Outlines lessons learned regarding testing and treating COVID-19 patients, as well as ongoing preparations for additional cases. Highlights partnerships with area healthcare providers to navigate the pandemic.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Fast-Track to Teledentistry - Removing Barriers to Care While Maximizing Overall Health
Details the barriers to oral healthcare access and discusses the ways teledentistry can help overcome them. Highlights the role teledentistry can play during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and in rural communities. Presents examples of successful uses of teledentistry and provides guidance for teledentistry implementation.
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Information for First Responders on Maintaining Operational Capabilities During a Pandemic
Provides resources to help first responders plan for the impacts of a severe pandemic. Offers ways to adjust operations to maintain readiness, planning tools for local leaders, and reference sheets with discipline-specific action steps.
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Fire Administration
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