Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce
Skill Mix Versus Flexibility: Decoding Nurse Staffing Impacts on Critical Access Hospitals
Presents a study on the skill mix and flexibility of nurse staffing on the financial stability, care quality, and efficacy of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2023. Correlates skill mix and flexibility with hospital outcomes and controls for hospital-specific, socioeconomic, and demographic factors.
Author(s): Dinesh R Pai, Esmaeil Bahalkeh
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70075
Date: 08/2025
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Presents a study on the skill mix and flexibility of nurse staffing on the financial stability, care quality, and efficacy of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2023. Correlates skill mix and flexibility with hospital outcomes and controls for hospital-specific, socioeconomic, and demographic factors.
Author(s): Dinesh R Pai, Esmaeil Bahalkeh
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70075
Date: 08/2025
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The Doctor is … Out: Shortages of Health Professionals in Rural Areas
Reports on healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including rural and county-level data on primary care, dental health, mental health, and maternity care providers. Discusses rural barriers to healthcare access and highlights approaches to strengthen the rural health workforce in New York.
Author(s): Andrea Miller, Maria Doulis, Matthew Golden, Joshua Simons
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
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Reports on healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including rural and county-level data on primary care, dental health, mental health, and maternity care providers. Discusses rural barriers to healthcare access and highlights approaches to strengthen the rural health workforce in New York.
Author(s): Andrea Miller, Maria Doulis, Matthew Golden, Joshua Simons
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
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Understanding and Applying for the Rural Health Transformation Program
Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program established in the July 2025 budget reconciliation law. Covers the program's funding criteria and formula, distribution of funds, expected state application process, and more. Highlights collaborative opportunities that funds may be used for that align with CMS strategic goals. Offers tactical recommendations for state health officials to consider to support the application process.
Author(s): Susan Kansagra, Alexandra Kearly, Madison Hluchan, Orobosa Idehen
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program established in the July 2025 budget reconciliation law. Covers the program's funding criteria and formula, distribution of funds, expected state application process, and more. Highlights collaborative opportunities that funds may be used for that align with CMS strategic goals. Offers tactical recommendations for state health officials to consider to support the application process.
Author(s): Susan Kansagra, Alexandra Kearly, Madison Hluchan, Orobosa Idehen
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Supply, Distribution, and Access to Cardiologists, Oncologists, and Pulmonologists in the Rural and Urban U.S.
Describes the changes in the supply and demand of four specialists - cardiologists, neurologists, oncologists, and pulmonologists - between 2012 and 2022. Compares data on the ratio of these specialists per 100,000 population across urban, large rural, and small/isolated rural areas. Explores the socioeconomic characteristics of rural counties with and without one of these specialists in 2022. Summarizes perspectives of rural health system leaders on how specialty care is accessed by and delivered to rural patients.
Author(s): Signe Burchim, David Evans, Nathan Maris, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the changes in the supply and demand of four specialists - cardiologists, neurologists, oncologists, and pulmonologists - between 2012 and 2022. Compares data on the ratio of these specialists per 100,000 population across urban, large rural, and small/isolated rural areas. Explores the socioeconomic characteristics of rural counties with and without one of these specialists in 2022. Summarizes perspectives of rural health system leaders on how specialty care is accessed by and delivered to rural patients.
Author(s): Signe Burchim, David Evans, Nathan Maris, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Barriers to Accessible and Affordable Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care for Older Adults
Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Building Healthier Rural Communities: Economic Development Districts Address Social Determinants of Health
Report outlining social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas and how Economic Development Districts (EDD) address them. Highlights workforce, infrastructure, food security, health, disaster preparedness, funding, data, and public-private partnerships. Includes a case study from an EDD in North Carolina and highlights the role of hospitals in the community.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Economic Development District Community of Practice, National Association of Development Organizations
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Report outlining social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas and how Economic Development Districts (EDD) address them. Highlights workforce, infrastructure, food security, health, disaster preparedness, funding, data, and public-private partnerships. Includes a case study from an EDD in North Carolina and highlights the role of hospitals in the community.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Economic Development District Community of Practice, National Association of Development Organizations
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Rural Health Symposium May 8-9, 2025: Advancing Rural Health Through Research, Policy, and Community Partnerships
Summarizes research presentations, panel discussions, and other proceedings of a May 2025 conference on rural health disparities hosted by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Dartmouth Health. Identifies factors contributing to rural health disparities and suggests actions to be taken by healthcare systems, community groups, policymakers, and researchers, among others.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Dartmouth Health, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
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Summarizes research presentations, panel discussions, and other proceedings of a May 2025 conference on rural health disparities hosted by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Dartmouth Health. Identifies factors contributing to rural health disparities and suggests actions to be taken by healthcare systems, community groups, policymakers, and researchers, among others.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Dartmouth Health, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
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The National Dementia Workforce Study: Methods for Surveying Community Clinicians Who Provide Care to People With Dementia
Discusses the design and significance of the National Dementia Workforce Study (NDWS) Community Clinician Survey, which surveys community-based providers of clinical care for people with dementia. Highlights survey methodology related to provider demographics, processes of care, geographic distribution, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth M. White, James Wagner, Kate Stewart, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Date: 08/2025
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Discusses the design and significance of the National Dementia Workforce Study (NDWS) Community Clinician Survey, which surveys community-based providers of clinical care for people with dementia. Highlights survey methodology related to provider demographics, processes of care, geographic distribution, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth M. White, James Wagner, Kate Stewart, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Date: 08/2025
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The Feasibility and Impact of Implementing Brief Educator Development Sessions in Underresourced Residency Training Sites
Evaluates the effectiveness of web-based educator development sessions in developing the teaching and assessment skills of residency program directors and other physician educators in rural and underserved Oregon and California communities. Provides data on program participant demographics, feasibility of implementation, and utility for participants.
Author(s): Adrienne Silver, Patricia A Carney, Robynn Church, et al.
Citation: Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 17(4), 515-522
Date: 08/2025
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Evaluates the effectiveness of web-based educator development sessions in developing the teaching and assessment skills of residency program directors and other physician educators in rural and underserved Oregon and California communities. Provides data on program participant demographics, feasibility of implementation, and utility for participants.
Author(s): Adrienne Silver, Patricia A Carney, Robynn Church, et al.
Citation: Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 17(4), 515-522
Date: 08/2025
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Explaining the Diffusion of Project ECHO
Analyzes the creation and reach of the rural intervention Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) to identify factors contributing to its rapid adoption as a model for mentorship and sharing knowledge in healthcare.
Author(s): James W. Dearing, R. Sam Larson
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 88
Date: 08/2025
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Analyzes the creation and reach of the rural intervention Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) to identify factors contributing to its rapid adoption as a model for mentorship and sharing knowledge in healthcare.
Author(s): James W. Dearing, R. Sam Larson
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 88
Date: 08/2025
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