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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Opioid White Paper: Analysis of Responses to Committee Request for Information
Details an analysis of the information received by the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee regarding the opioid crisis. Discusses the current state of the crisis and the measures currently in place regarding prevention and treatment.
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. Features testimony from representatives of the Delaware Office of the Child Advocate, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, and the Addiction Policy Forum.
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Critical Access Hospital Swing-Bed Quality Measures: Findings from Key Informant Interviews
Results of a study to examine how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are assessing the quality of care given to swing bed patients. Uses data from interviews with representatives from CAH networks, consultants, and staff members responsible for swing bed services at 10 CAHs and 2 rural PPS hospitals in 10 states.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice, Henry Stabler
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Telehomecare Monitoring Services: Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems VNA Home Health Hospice
Discusses the development, impact, lessons learned, and future goals of a telehealth home health and hospice monitoring program for a healthcare system in rural Maine.
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Health Center Dental Employment Frequently Asked Questions
Provides information on health center employment for dental health professionals considering work in this setting.
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Network for Oral Health Access
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Where You Age Matters: Individual- and County-Level Predictors of Formal and Informal Care in Rural Appalachia
Examines the county-level social factors and individual-level personal characteristics of older adults in rural, Appalachian Virginia. Explores how these factors interact to predict if older adults receive formal or informal care and contribute to limited access to care. Discusses implications for researchers and policymakers to better align outreach and service delivery.
Author(s): Jyoti Savla, L. Rebecca Bivens, Karen A. Roberto, Rosemary Blieszner
Citation: Journal of Aging and Health, 31(5), 837-860
Date: 03/2018
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Leveraging Health Care Reform to Accelerate Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority
Presents a descriptive study of legislation from 1994 to 2016 impacting the scope of practice for nurse practitioners (NPs). Discusses how supporting full practice authority (FPA) where physician involvement is not required can lessen the concern over the lack of primary care providers by allowing NPs to offer comprehensive healthcare services to rural and vulnerable patients. Identifies barriers and limitations to FPA.
Author(s): Heather M. Brom, Pamela J. Salsberry, Margaret Clark Graham
Citation: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(3), 120-130
Date: 03/2018
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Moving Away from the Tip of the Pyramid: Screening and Brief Intervention for Risky Alcohol and Opioid Use in Underserved Patients
Summarizes the findings of an online survey of a practice-based research network of 126 medical providers serving Hispanic/Latino and Native American patients in rural and urban settings in New Mexico. Discusses clinician perspectives on the need to address substance use in primary care, current screening and treatment practices, and their willingness to adapt practices to meet the needs of the patient populations.
Author(s): Kamilla L. Venner, Victoria Sánchez, Jacqueline Garcia, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 31(2), 243-251
Date: 03/2018
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Dental Therapists Linked to Improved Dental Outcomes for Alaska Native Communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
Features a study of dental outcomes in Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta since Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATs) have been added to the communities' dental workforce. Details annual data on dental utilization for both children and adults.
Author(s): Donald L. Chi, Dane Lenaker, Lloyd Mancl, Matthew Dunbar, Michael Babb
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 78(2), 175-182
Date: 03/2018
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Indiana Primary Care Needs Assessment, 2018
Summary of efforts to identify gaps in access to health care and allocate resources to communities in greatest need, from 2015-2017. Includes trends in Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations in Indiana, the preliminary HPSA analysis summary, projected need of providers in Indiana counties, and health rankings within Indiana.
Author(s): Analise Dickinson, Sierra Vaughn, Hannah Maxey
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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