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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health occupations

The Opioid Epidemic: Evidence Based Strategies Legislative Report
Discusses the causes and consequences of the opioid epidemic in Louisiana, as well as recommendations to help address it. Outlines differences between rural and urban areas of the state. Provides maps showing access to treatment programs and buprenorphine providers.
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Louisiana Commission on Preventing Opioid Abuse, Louisiana Department of Health
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Towards the Development of a National Strategic Plan for Graduate Medical Education: 23rd Report
Recommends changes in graduate medical education to address issues including low numbers of medical students from rural backgrounds and sparse supply of physicians in most rural areas.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Kennita R. Carter, Joan Weiss, Ray Bingham, Andrew Sanderson
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
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Demographics of International Medical Graduates in North Dakota
Highlights international medical graduates (IMGs) in North Dakota, focusing on medical school location, age and sex, specialty, and rural/urban location. Based on 2015 data from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile.
Author(s): Gary Hart, Robin Besse, Mandi-Leigh Peterson
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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Characteristics of U.S. Medical Graduates and International Medical Graduates in North Dakota
Uses 2015 data from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile to show the characteristics of direct care physicians practicing in North Dakota. Includes breakdowns by sex and rural/urban status, year of graduation, work location, specialty, and primary care specialty.
Author(s): Gary Hart, Robin Besse, Mandi-Leigh Peterson
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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And How Long Will You Be Staying, Doctor?
Relates the personal experiences of the author, a physician practicing in rural New Mexico, on the overarching theme of high provider turnover in rural communities. Linked audio interview with the author highlights the challenges facing patients and physicians in rural areas of the U.S. Requires free account registration for full access.
Additional links: Audio Interview with the Author
Author(s): Heather Kovich
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 376(14), 1307-1309
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
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Thirty Miles at Sea — Providing Consistent Care in an Inconsistent Environment
Discusses the challenges of providing emergency department care on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, where the population fluctuates widely from the off-season to the summer. Describes how Nantucket Cottage Hospital transitioned from an ad hoc system of rotating physicians, to using a professional staffing group, as a way to ensure adequate coverage and focus on providing quality care rather than scheduling.
Author(s): Margot Hartmann, Jason Graziadei
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 376(14), 1306-1307
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
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Preparing Family Physicians to Care for Underserved Populations: A Historical Perspective
Overview of family medicine residency models geared toward practice in rural and underserved urban areas. Also includes examination of behavioral science training and programs for the care of people with HIV and AIDS.
Author(s): Denise V. Rodgers, Andrea L. Wendling, George W. Saba, Megan Ruth Mahoney, Joedrecka S. Brown Speights
Citation: Family Medicine, 49(4), 304-310
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
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Issues Confronting Rural Pharmacies after a Decade of Medicare Part D
Discusses the major challenges facing rural independent pharmacies, focusing on delayed maximum allowable cost (MAC) adjustments, and direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. Other challenges include competition from mail order pharmacies, being a non-preferred pharmacy, and orderly succession planning. Also examines the implications for rural communities when independent pharmacies close.
Author(s): Abiodun Salako, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Establishing Successful Patient-Centered Medical Homes in Rural Hawai'i: Three Strategies to Consider
Provides recommendations for effectively developing Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) based on phone interviews with healthcare providers on Hawaii's islands and data from the state Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Includes strategies specific to improving care in rural Hawaii.
Author(s): Melissa Nelson Scriber, Kasey Kehoe
Citation: Hawai'i Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 76(3 Suppl 1), 18-23
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
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Home-Based Care for Chronic Kidney Disease
Provides an update to the story of the Zuni people of western New Mexico and the health conditions they commonly face: chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Describes the Home-Based Kidney Care model to train tribal members fluent in Zuni to become community health workers. The community health workers visit patients weekly, providing them with education on healthy lifestyles, medication support, and data collection. The original story, published in July 2014, is included at the end of the update.
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
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