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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare facilities

Telehealth Decreases Rural Emergency Department Wait Times for Behavioral Health Patients in a Group of Critical Access Hospitals
Explores impacts of telehealth on behavioral health patients in rural emergency departments (EDs) at 4 Midwestern Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Compares wait time and length of stay (LOS) for 153 patients from 2005-2013 before telehealth implementation and 287 patents from 2015-2017 after telehealth implementation. Provides data on patient demographics, wait time, LOS, behavioral health diagnosis, and total costs of ED visit.
Author(s): Roseanne Moody Fairchild, Shiaw-Fen Ferng-Kuo, Stephanie Laws, Hicham Rahmouni, Daniel Hardesty
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 25(12), 1154-1164
Date: 12/2019
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The Rural Hospital Stabilization Program: A Comprehensive Report
Provides an overview of the first three years of the Rural Hospital Stabilization Grant Program for rural Georgia hospitals. Describes grant-funded projects and evaluates the sustainability of these projects after funding ceased. Includes a financial analysis of participating hospitals before and after receiving grant funds.
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Department of Community Health, Georgia State Office of Rural Health
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An Innovative Approach to Care: Integrating Mental Health Services Through Telemedicine in Rural School-Based Health Centers
Presents a study on the use of telemedicine to provide behavioral healthcare to rural children and adolescents through school-based health centers. Discusses the West Virginia Children's Access Network (WVCAN) and evaluates the successes and shortcomings of both the school-based health center model and telemedicine at providing behavioral healthcare to rural children.
Author(s): Taniya Pradhan, E. Ashley Six-Workman, Kari-Beth Law
Citation: Psychiatric Services, 70(3), 239-242
Date: 12/2019
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Access, Quality, and Financial Performance of Rural Hospitals Following Health System Affiliation
Examines the impact of health system affiliation on rural hospitals' quality and financial performance, as well as patients' access to care. Compares rural hospitals affiliated with a health system between 2008-2017 with those that did not affiliate with a health system.
Author(s): Claire E. O'Hanlon, Ashley M. Kranz, Maria DeYoreo, Ammarah Mahmud, Cheryl L. Damberg, Justin W. Timbie
Citation: Health Affairs, 38(12), 2095-2104
Date: 12/2019
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340B Drug Discount Program: Increased Oversight Needed to Ensure Nongovernmental Hospitals Meet Eligibility Requirements
Provides an overview of the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) review of 258 nongovernmental hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program and their contracts with state and local governments. Evaluates the contracts to determine if they meet the eligibility requirement to serve low-income individuals. Outlines weaknesses in the Health Resources and Services Administration's review of the hospital contracts and offers six recommendations to improve the contract review process.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Access to Specialty Care for Medicare Beneficiaries in Rural Communities
Findings from a voluntary online survey conducted in 2019 of 111 Rural Health Clinic (RHC) staff, from 27 states, to identify the most difficult specialty healthcare service to access, and why it is the most difficult to access. Conducts an analysis of RHC distance to the nearest hospital or clinic to determine variation in difficulty accessing specialty services.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Hannah Neprash, Carrie Henning-Smith, Ashley M. Hernandez
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Empowering 'Ōpio (Next Generation): Student Centered, Community Engaged, School Based Health Education
Describes the development of the Empowering Opio Project, created by a team of health educators from two rural Oahu school-based health centers (SBHC) with input from school administrators, teachers, and students, to encourage high school students to assess their health needs and achieve optimal health.
Author(s): Blane K. Garcia, Malia L. Agustin, May M. Okihiro, Vija M. Sehgal
Citation: Hawai'i Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 78(12 Suppl 3), 30-34
Date: 12/2019
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Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHC) in Oklahoma
County-level map of Oklahoma identifying the communities with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State University Center for Rural Health
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Indian Health Service Has Strengthened Patient Protection Policies but Must Fully Integrate Them into Practice and Organizational Culture
Explores and evaluates the current patient protection policies of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and makes recommendations. Focuses on the IHS policies implemented to prevent child sexual abuse by providers and staff.
Author(s): Joanne M. Chiedi
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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The Value Initiative Members in Action: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center - Lebanon, N.H
Describes how the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center partners with rural and community hospitals to provide telehealth specialty care services across northern New England through the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Connected Care program. Discusses clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction with the telehealth programs. Examines how telehealth services impact staffing and services offered in small and rural hospitals.
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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