Rural Health Equity and Quality Summit Report
Summarizes a June 2022 summit with experts in rural healthcare policy, health equity, value-based care, and clinical quality to explore the roles of small rural hospitals and Rural Health Clinics in achieving health equity. Discusses barriers and challenges to achieving rural health equity. Presents best practices and innovative models in promoting health equity in rural areas.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
view details

Measure Applications Partnership 2022 Considerations for Measure Set Review in Federal Programs: Clinician, Hospital, and Post-Acute Care/Long-Term Care
Reviews the 32 healthcare quality and efficiency measures used by the National Quality Forum's Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) during 2022. Discusses measures for clinician programs, hospital programs, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes the MAP Rural Health Advisory Group's support or determination of the suitability of each measure for rural providers.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
view details

Next Steps for the Rural Emergency Hospital Model
Blog post discussing rural hospital closures and how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) model can help financially vulnerable hospitals align their services to the needs of the community. Highlights recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding REH conditions of participation and payment.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details

September 2022 MACPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) September 2022 meeting. Covers Medicaid race and ethnicity data collection and reporting, state processes and stakeholder engagement for unwinding continuous coverage requirement, countercyclical disproportionate share hospital policies, and integrating care for dually eligible beneficiaries in Medicaid fee-for-services, among other things. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details

Rural Hospital Board of Director and Executive Leadership Video Series
A 4-part video series for rural executives and boards of directors. Covers corporate compliance, financial stewardship, physician compensation, and health equity. Discusses the importance of these topics, key considerations for executives and boards of directors, and how hospital administrators have addressed these areas.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
view details

Health Panel Comment Letter – Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Rural Emergency Hospitals
Comments offered in response to a July 26, 2022, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2023 and establishing Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment policy, quality measures, and enrollment policy. Discusses telehealth services for mental healthcare; REH quality measures, telehealth, and Conditions of Participation; and the use of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data on hospital and skilled nursing facilities changes in ownership.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
view details

Philanthropy, Cross-Collaboration, and the Ecosystem That Is Rural Healthcare Delivery: Q&A with Dr. Shao-Chee Sim
An interview with Shao-Chee Sim, PhD, vice president for research, innovation, and evaluation for the Texas-based Episcopal Health Foundation. Discusses how philanthropic organizations can support community engagement, make research investments, and leverage cross-funder collaboration to impact the rural healthcare delivery system.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details

Availability of Hospital-Based Cancer Services Before and After Rural Hospital Closure, 2008–2017
Explores the effect rural hospital closures have had on rural cancer care. Draws from American Hospital Association data from 2008 to 2017 and explores the differing outcomes hospital closures had on oncology care, radiation services, and cancer screening in rural areas.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Sylvia Kewei Shi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
view details

Medicare's New Rural Emergency Hospital Designation — Considerations for States
Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Discusses the REH designation as an alternative to rural hospital closure and REH payment policy. Highlights opportunities for states to develop REH licensure requirements.
Author(s): Rebekah Falkner, Sam Mermin
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
view details

Review of Rural U.S. Economic and Health Care Trends
Reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of healthcare and local economic vibrancy, and explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19. Includes sections on rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, insurance, and telehealth. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and county-level maps showing Health Professional Shortage Areas and rural counties without obstetrical services.
Author(s): Alison Davis
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
view details