Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce supply and demand
The Golden Hour Is Elusive in Rural Trauma: A 10-year Analysis from a Level I Trauma Center in Montana
Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
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Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
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Healthcare Priorities in Governors' 2026 State of the State Addresses
Summarizes common themes from governors' 2026 legislative addresses regarding healthcare. Highlights rural healthcare access, the Rural Health Transformation Program, workforce, healthcare technology, licensing reform, affordability, and more.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Summarizes common themes from governors' 2026 legislative addresses regarding healthcare. Highlights rural healthcare access, the Rural Health Transformation Program, workforce, healthcare technology, licensing reform, affordability, and more.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Dentist Workforce and Dental Care Utilization in the Rural and Urban U.S.
Describes the supply of general and specialist dentists in rural and urban counties in 2022. Explores dental care utilization and outcomes in 2019 by degree of rurality and patient characteristics. Discusses the implication of these findings on policies and interventions related the supply of dentists in rural areas.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the supply of general and specialist dentists in rural and urban counties in 2022. Explores dental care utilization and outcomes in 2019 by degree of rurality and patient characteristics. Discusses the implication of these findings on policies and interventions related the supply of dentists in rural areas.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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The Importance of Long-Term Services and Supports to a High-Performance Rural Health System: Demographic, Policy and Economic Challenges
Explores the potential impact of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (HR 1) on sustaining long-term services and supports (LTSS) in rural areas as an important element of a high performing rural health system. Describes how the policy landscape affecting LTSS in rural America is undergoing changes in population characteristics, healthcare resources, and financing. Discusses the potential impact of federal policy changes on rural LTSS.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Explores the potential impact of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (HR 1) on sustaining long-term services and supports (LTSS) in rural areas as an important element of a high performing rural health system. Describes how the policy landscape affecting LTSS in rural America is undergoing changes in population characteristics, healthcare resources, and financing. Discusses the potential impact of federal policy changes on rural LTSS.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Allied Health Workforce: Supporting Rural Providers, with Chris Laman
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Chris Laman, Vice President of Strategy at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon. Focuses on the hospital's work developing and maintaining the rural allied health workforce. Part 2 in a 3-part series from the December 2025 Health Innovation Potluck held in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Chris Laman, Vice President of Strategy at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon. Focuses on the hospital's work developing and maintaining the rural allied health workforce. Part 2 in a 3-part series from the December 2025 Health Innovation Potluck held in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Transforming Rural Health: Strategies from the Field - Collaborating for Financial Viability
A brief that provides strategies for rural hospital and clinic financial viability. Discusses examples of health facility collaborations that improve access to healthcare services, address workforce shortages, and enhance quality of care.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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A brief that provides strategies for rural hospital and clinic financial viability. Discusses examples of health facility collaborations that improve access to healthcare services, address workforce shortages, and enhance quality of care.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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Barriers to Implementing a Pharmacist-Led COPD CARE Bundle in Rural Settings: A Qualitative Evaluation
Examines barriers to implementing the COPD Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) program, a care bundle focused on improving chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care coordination among pharmacists, nurse care managers, and other pharmacy clinicians in the Veterans Affairs system. Describes themes from clinician interviews, including discussion of staffing challenges, limited referral availability, fragmentation of care, technological limitations, and more.
Author(s): Edward Christopher Portillo, Martha Maurer, Steven Do, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 13, e003178
Date: 03/2026
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Examines barriers to implementing the COPD Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) program, a care bundle focused on improving chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care coordination among pharmacists, nurse care managers, and other pharmacy clinicians in the Veterans Affairs system. Describes themes from clinician interviews, including discussion of staffing challenges, limited referral availability, fragmentation of care, technological limitations, and more.
Author(s): Edward Christopher Portillo, Martha Maurer, Steven Do, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 13, e003178
Date: 03/2026
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The Impact of Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority on Pediatric Care Experiences: A National Secondary Data Analysis
Examines the impact of full practice authority (FPA) for pediatric nurse practitioners (NPs) on pediatric primary healthcare access. Utilizes 2010–2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to analyze policy changes related to FPA implementation according to patient access, experiences, and rurality.
Author(s): Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, Maxwell Mehlman, Alicia Plemmons, et al.
Citation: Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 40(2), 251-257
Date: 03/2026
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Examines the impact of full practice authority (FPA) for pediatric nurse practitioners (NPs) on pediatric primary healthcare access. Utilizes 2010–2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to analyze policy changes related to FPA implementation according to patient access, experiences, and rurality.
Author(s): Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, Maxwell Mehlman, Alicia Plemmons, et al.
Citation: Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 40(2), 251-257
Date: 03/2026
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Mental Health Specialist Telemedicine Uptake and Patient Location
Analyzes 17,742 Medicare fee-for-service claims for mental health specialists between 2018 and 2023 to identify the proportion of telemedicine visits that are with rural, low-access-to-care, or other distant communities. Includes analysis of new and established patients. Discusses study findings as part of larger discussions regarding telehealth increasing access to healthcare for rural and other hard to reach populations.
Author(s): Jacob Jorem, Andrew D. Wilcock, Alisa B. Busch, Haiden A. Huskamp, Ateev Mehrotra
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(3)
Date: 03/2026
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Analyzes 17,742 Medicare fee-for-service claims for mental health specialists between 2018 and 2023 to identify the proportion of telemedicine visits that are with rural, low-access-to-care, or other distant communities. Includes analysis of new and established patients. Discusses study findings as part of larger discussions regarding telehealth increasing access to healthcare for rural and other hard to reach populations.
Author(s): Jacob Jorem, Andrew D. Wilcock, Alisa B. Busch, Haiden A. Huskamp, Ateev Mehrotra
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(3)
Date: 03/2026
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West Virginia Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in West Virginia in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in West Virginia in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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