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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health information technology

Higher Electronic Health Record Functionality Is Associated with Lower Operating Costs in Urban—but Not Rural—Hospitals
Explores the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality and hospital operating costs. Examines the effects of different categories of EHR functionality on general, inpatient, and outpatient costs. Compares the relationship between EHR functionality and operating costs across urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 665-676
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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Independent Evaluation of Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+): Fourth Annual Report
Reports on the first four program years of the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, a CMS primary care payment and delivery reform effort. Discusses CPC+ participating practices, payer partners, and health information technology (HIT) vendors supporting the program. Describes practice changes regarding care delivery and outcomes for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Overcoming Technical and Cultural Challenges to Delivering Equitable Care for LGBTQ+ Individuals in a Rural, Underserved Area
Offers guidance for healthcare organizations when addressing the health inequities experienced by LGBTQ+ populations based on the 5-year experience of a rural integrated health system. Topics cover collecting sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data for electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support and workflows using SOGI, strengthening the culture of diversity and inclusion within the organization, and partnering with local organizations to develop trust.
Author(s): Heather L. Marney, David K. Vawdrey, Leyla Warsame, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 29(2), 372-378
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
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Digital Quality Measurement Strategic Roadmap
Discusses how the interoperability of healthcare data from electronic health records can improve Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality measurement systems. Provides an overview of Outlines actions in four domains - improving data quality, advancing technology, optimizing data aggregation, and enabling alignment of measures - to advance digital quality measurement.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Washington Rural Health Clinic Dental Services Toolkit
Resource guide to assist Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Washington implement dental services alongside primary care. Covers funding, facility, health information technology, and other considerations related to implementing dental care.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Washington State Department of Health
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Midwest Rural-Urban Disparities in Use of Patient Online Services for Covid-19
Examines patient portal messaging utilization in a Midwest health system based on data from over 1 million messages generated between February 2020 and August 2020 by rural and urban users. Includes breakdown of user data along age, gender, race and ethnicity, rural versus urban, and other demographic lines. Discusses rural disparities related to virtual care, such as using portal messaging for COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment versus pandemic isolation and anxiety.
Author(s): Ming Huang, Andrew Wen, Huan He, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(4), 908-915
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
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A New Era of Health Literacy? Expanded Definitions, Digital Influences, and Rural Inequities
Explores rural challenges to accessing health information that is clear and usable, with insights from experts. Describes recently expanded definitions of health literacy. Discusses digital health literacy and the importance of broadband access and digital health tools for rural residents.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health External Quality Review: FY 2021-22 Statewide Report
Reports on an external review of all 56 county Mental Health Plans (MHPs) that are contracted to provide specialty mental health services to California Medicaid beneficiaries, including breakdowns for rural areas. Discusses challenges meeting demand and recruiting and retaining healthcare providers. Highlights access to services through telehealth; timeliness of providing service and tracking timeliness; quality management; and information systems.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: California Department of Health Care Services
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The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to Residents, Families, and Staff
Examines how the United States delivers, finances, regulates, and measures the quality of nursing home care. Discusses the nursing home care landscape, quality measurement and improvement, workforce, safety, payment and financing, and health information technology. Identifies seven goals and supporting recommendations that provide a framework for a comprehensive approach to improving the quality of care in nursing homes.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Evidence Map: Implementation Factors Influencing the Transition from Emergency to Outpatient Care Settings
Summarizes available research on interventions to improve transitions from emergency department to outpatient care settings across health systems and identifies key findings. Discusses common intervention barriers, including rural residence and transportation, and facilitators.
Additional links: Supplemental Materials
Author(s): Karli Kondo, Johanna Anderson, Sarah Young, Rachel Ward
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Services Research & Development Service
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