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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Dental Therapy Toolkit: A Resource for Potential Employers
Toolkit designed to provide prospective employers of dental therapists a history and understanding of the field and offer information on how to integrate dental therapists into their practices in the state of Minnesota. Includes regulations and scope of practice details, education and training requirements, and examples of successful dental therapy models, among other topics.
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Health Reform Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, Minnesota Department of Human Services
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Treating the Rural Opioid Epidemic
Policy brief reviewing the barriers to implementing effective, high-quality treatment for mental health and substance use issues in rural areas. Includes policy recommendations for addressing these issues, focusing on access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) and funding for rural mental health infrastructure.
Author(s): Christine Hancock, Heidi Mennenga, Nikki King, et al.
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Evaluation of the Medication Management (MM) Health Care Innovation Awardees: Third Annual Report
Evaluations of 6 Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects focused on medication management programs, including programs serving rural areas.
Additional links: Addendum, June 2017
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Acumen, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Westat
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Third Annual Report: HCIA Disease-Specific Evaluation
Findings from the third year for 18 Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects targeting patient populations with specific diseases. Provides information on program effectiveness based on Medicare and Medicaid claims data and awardee-collected data. Includes projects that serve a variety of rural areas and address conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain. Approaches discussed include care coordination, education, and telehealth.
Additional links: Addendum, June 2017
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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HCIA Complex/High-Risk Patient Targeting: Third Annual Report
Third annual evaluations of Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects focused on patients with medically complex conditions at high risk for hospitalization, re-hospitalization, emergency department visits, or nursing home stays. Presents program effectiveness findings based on Medicare and Medicaid claims data, surveys, site visits, and interviews. Several projects serve rural areas, offering caregiver education and support, telehealth services, and various care coordination approaches.
Additional links: Addendum, April 2017
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Characteristics of Primary Care Physicians in Patient-Centered Medical Home Practices: United States, 2013
Describes the characteristics of primary care physicians participating in patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices. Includes charts and graphs to help visualize the differences between PCMH practices and non-PCMH practices. Figure 2 presents data on the percentage of primary care physicians in PCMH practices, comparing them by location in metropolitan or non-metropolitan statistical area.
Author(s): Esther Hing, Ellen Kurtzman, Denys T. Lau, Caroline Taplin, Andrew B. Bindman
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Health-Related Behaviors by Urban-Rural County Classification — United States, 2013
Provides data on five self-reported health-related behaviors for residents of rural and urban areas. Behaviors include sufficient sleep, current nonsmoking, nondrinking or moderate drinking, maintaining normal body weight, and meeting aerobic leisure time physical activity recommendations. Includes data for each behavior for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore (rural) areas, as well as prevalence of 4-5 health behaviors by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and education level. Based on 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data.
Author(s): Kevin A. Matthews, Janet B. Croft, Yong Liu, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(5), 1-8
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Engaging Tribal Nations of North Dakota in Conducting Community Health Assessments
Outlines the purpose and process of conducting a community health assessment (CHA) for Native American communities. Covers tribal public health policy and governance, community engagement in CHAs, steps for planning a CHA, working with data, and preparing a tribal community health improvement plan.
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organizations: American Indian Public Health Resource Center, North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
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Understanding Treatment Gaps for Mental Health, Alcohol, and Drug Use in South Dakota: A Qualitative Study of Rural Perspectives
Details a study on gaps in access to behavioral health treatment in rural South Dakota. Discusses data collected from interviews with people in rural and tribal areas of the state with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
Author(s): Lauren Broffman, Margaret Spurlock, Kristen Dulacki, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 22(1), 71-81
Date: 01/2017
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Prescription Opioid Poisoning Across Urban and Rural Areas: Identifying Vulnerable Groups and Geographic Areas
Examines hospital discharge rates for prescription opioid poisoning for rural and urban areas using data from 2001-2011 in California. Identifies hot-spot locations for opioid poisoning and environmental features related to opioid poisoning using a ZIP code level of analysis. Discusses the implications for policymakers and public health officials.
Author(s): Magdalena Cerda, Andrew Gaidus, Katherine M. Keyes, et al.
Citation: Addiction, 112(1), 103-112
Date: 01/2017
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