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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Using a Customer Discovery Process to Enhance the Potential Dissemination and Scalability of a Family Healthy Weight Program for Rural Communities and Small Towns
Reports on factors influencing rural adoption of the Building Healthy Families Online Training Resources and Program Package, a family-based healthy weight program. Utilizes data from interviews with 47 individuals representing potential users, payers, and adoption influencers, including health departments, clinical healthcare providers, and community organizations. Includes discussion of organizational priorities, implementation challenges in clinical and community settings, and more.
Author(s): Gwenndolyn C. Porter, Jennie L. Hill, Kate A. Heelan, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 21, 57
Date: 05/2024
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Care Fragmentation and Readmission Mortality and Length of Stay Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Data from the National Readmissions Database, 2018–2020
Examines fragmented readmissions, in which a patient returns to a hospital that is different than their prior admission, and the impact on in-hospital mortality and longer lengths-of-stay (LOS). Analyzes readmission data during the COVID-19 pandemic against 2018-2019 data and includes breakdowns according to patient sex, age, income, insurance status, and health condition, as well as hospital type and large metropolitan area, small metropolitan area, micropolitan, or non-metropolitan/non-micropolitan location.
Author(s): Sara Turbow, Tiffany Walker, Steven Culler, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 622
Date: 05/2024
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Navigating Geographical Disparities: Access to Obstetric Hospitals in Maternity Care Deserts and Across the United States
Examines disparities related to maternity care access by analyzing travel distances to obstetric care across the United States. Provides data to nearest obstetric hospital by census tract, with further breakdowns according to maternity care desert (MCD) designation, rurality, race/ethnicity, and travel time. Includes U.S. maps showing spatial clusters of distance and travel time to obstetric care.
Author(s): Jazmin Fontenot, Christina Brigance, Ripley Lucas, Ashley Stoneburner
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24, 350
Date: 05/2024
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Addressing Food Insecurity in Rural Primary Care: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Barriers and Facilitators
Examines food insecurity (FI) in rural areas and the barriers and facilitators to identifying FI during primary care visits. Provides interview feedback from rural New England primary care practitioners, focused on factors that impact screening for FI and potential interventions to address patient FI. Discusses difficulty of addressing FI in rural geographies, stigma in rural communities, and food resource options from local farms.
Author(s): Kayla E. Jordanova, Arvind Suresh, Chelsey R. Canavan, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 25, 163
Date: 05/2024
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Health Centers Serving Veterans: Improving Identification of Military Veteran Patient Characteristic
A recorded webinar that discusses how to more effectively screen veteran patients in health centers to understand needs and improve service delivery. Includes information on veteran screening methodology in rural health centers. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides, Transcript
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Receipt of a Breathing Test in 26 States and the District of Columbia, 2017–2018
Examines prevalence of having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), having risk factors for COPD, and receiving a breathing test according to corresponding risk level. Analyzes 2017-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 26 states and the District of Columbia, with breakdowns according to sex, race/ethnicity, education, and large central metro, large fringe metro, medium metro, small metro, micropolitan, or rural (noncore) location.
Author(s): Kathleen B. Watson, Janet B. Croft, Anne G. Wheaton, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 05/2024
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New Medicare Behavioral Health Providers: Incorporating MHCs and MFTs Into Your RHC
Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Markup of H.R. 8261, H.R. 7931, H.R. 8245, H.R. 8244, H.R. 8235, and H.R. 8246
Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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US Hospital Service Availability and New 340B Program Participation
Examines whether participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program was associated with investment in hospital-based services among newly participating hospitals between 2012 and 2018. Compares the provision of profitable and unprofitable services between 1,074 hospitals newly participating in the 340B program and 1,078 hospitals that never participated in the program by hospital characteristics, including hospital ownership, rural versus urban location, community social vulnerability index, and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status.
Author(s): Kelsey M. Owsley, Romana Hasnain-Wynia, Ronica N. Rooks, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(5), e240833
Date: 05/2024
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Challenges and Strategies in Expanding Non-Traditional Pregnancy-Related Services: Findings from a Survey of State Medicaid Programs
Presents Medicaid reimbursement information for non-traditional pregnancy-related services, such as doula care, childbirth and parenting classes, lactation support, and more. Includes commentary on service challenges in rural areas.
Author(s): Anna Mudumala, Kathleen Gifford, Usha Ranji, Elizabeth Hinton
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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