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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Understanding the "Tool-ish-ness" of Telehealth: Q&A with Dr. Jonathan Neufeld
An interview with clinical psychologist and program director for the Great Plains Telehealth Resource & Assistance Center, Dr. Jonathan Neufeld. Discusses the role of telehealth in healthcare delivery. Describes how telecommunications tools can be used by providers to bring quality care to rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Outcome Measures for State Flex Program Financial and Operational Improvement Interventions
Discusses strategies for State Flex Programs (SFP) to monitor Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial and operational improvement (FOI) interventions and the underlying theories of the activities. Provides recommendations for short- and intermediate-term outcome measures to assist SFPs in monitoring FOI initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Medicare Telemedicine Snapshot
Presents data on telemedicine utilization by Medicare beneficiaries from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021, including pre- and post-pandemic rates of accessing telehealth services, trends in e-visits and virtual check-ins, geographic breakdowns including rural and urban residence, and beneficiary characteristics. Uses data from Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) claims, Medicare Advantage (MA) encounters, and Medicare enrollment.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Beneficiaries' Use of Telehealth in 2020: Trends by Beneficiary Characteristics and Location
Report examining telehealth visits by Medicare beneficiaries in 2020 that compares urban and rural residence and breaks down data by visit location, race/ethnicity, visit specialty, and by state, with comparisons to 2019 data. Data drawn from Medicare FFS Part B outpatient and carrier claims submitted between January and December 2020 and the same period in 2019.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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A Predictive Model of Hospital Choice for Rural Residents Seeking Surgery
Webinar discussing research on factors impacting rural patient choice for inpatient surgery. Discusses healthcare quality and patient outcomes in Critical Access Hospitals, the impact of patient bypass on rural facilities, and characteristics of hospitals, patients, and surgeries associated with bypass. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Robustness of Estimated Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Providers in Rural Vs. Urban Areas of the United States
Estimates level of access to opioid use disorder treatment at 31,053 locations in July 2020 for rural and urban opioid users by comparing drive time and availability of treatment. Discusses treatment disparities between rural and urban opioid users with particular focus on infrastructure such as transportation and broadband, hospital closures, and health insurance status.
Author(s): Matthew V. Kiang, Michael L. Barnett, Sarah E. Wakeman, Keith Humphreys, Alexander C. Tsai
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 228, 109081
Date: 11/2021
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Annual Influenza Vaccination Disparities in Medicare Beneficiaries
Explores disparities among Medicare beneficiaries who received influenza vaccinations in 2019 and 2020. Presents data on influenza vaccinations by race and ethnicity, sex, and urban-rural residence. Compares data for Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage enrollees.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Final CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule
Fact sheet addressing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services policies for Medicare beginning on January 1, 2022. Includes sections on telehealth services, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, audio-only services, communications technology based services, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, and additional policies.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Q&A on RHC COVID-19 Testing & Testing and Mitigation Programs
Recording of a November 30, 2021, webinar answering questions regarding the Rural Health Clinic COVID-19 Testing funding and discussing the close-out procedures for the program. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Consistent SNAP Participation Increases Preventative Health Care Visits for Infants
Examines the connection between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and preventive care in an infant's first year of life. Uses data from a survey covering 51,551 first-born children of low-income mothers, ages 18 and older, who participated in SNAP and Medicaid in Missouri between 2006-2014. Features statistics including urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Colleen Heflin, Irma Arteaga, Julia Stafford
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Aging and Policy Studies, Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
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