Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Mapping Healthcare Deserts: Over 80% of the Country Still Lacks Adequate Access to Healthcare
Provides information on healthcare and pharmacy deserts in the United States. Includes an interactive county-level U.S. map that shows healthcare deserts in the following categories: pharmacy, primary care, hospital, hospital beds, trauma center, and health center.
Author(s): Amanda Nguyen
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: GoodRx
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Provides information on healthcare and pharmacy deserts in the United States. Includes an interactive county-level U.S. map that shows healthcare deserts in the following categories: pharmacy, primary care, hospital, hospital beds, trauma center, and health center.
Author(s): Amanda Nguyen
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: GoodRx
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Use of Telebehavioral Health Services by Critical Access Hospitals in the United States: A Qualitative Study of the Impacts of Medicare Flexibilities and Future Opportunities
Analyzes interviews with 22 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) administrators and providers to identify how telebehavioral health is used in CAHs, the impact of Medicare billing flexibility, and opportunities and challenges for telebehavioral healthcare moving forward.
Author(s): Christopher M. Shea, Sharita Thomas, Marah Maaita, Heidi O'Connor, Yvonne Jonk
Citation: Digital Health, 11
Date: 07/2025
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Analyzes interviews with 22 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) administrators and providers to identify how telebehavioral health is used in CAHs, the impact of Medicare billing flexibility, and opportunities and challenges for telebehavioral healthcare moving forward.
Author(s): Christopher M. Shea, Sharita Thomas, Marah Maaita, Heidi O'Connor, Yvonne Jonk
Citation: Digital Health, 11
Date: 07/2025
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Palliative Care and Caregiving in the Midwest, Metro and Nonmetro Geographies: Insights from HINTS 2024
Examines characteristics of palliative caregiving in the Midwest. Utilizes 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data to provide metro versus nonmetro breakdowns on the health of caregivers, knowledge about and perspectives on palliative care, person being cared for, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines characteristics of palliative caregiving in the Midwest. Utilizes 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data to provide metro versus nonmetro breakdowns on the health of caregivers, knowledge about and perspectives on palliative care, person being cared for, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Building Engagement Using Financial Incentives for Colorectal Cancer Screening (BENEFIT-C) in a Rural Louisiana Federally Qualified Health Center
Examines a feasibility pilot trial that evaluates a financial incentive intervention aimed at increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the rural Acadiana region of Louisiana. Compares intervention and control patient groups to analyze the impact of using financial incentives to improve completion of CRC screenings.
Author(s): Laura M. Perry, Erin Peacock, Angela LeBlanc, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 07/2025
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Examines a feasibility pilot trial that evaluates a financial incentive intervention aimed at increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the rural Acadiana region of Louisiana. Compares intervention and control patient groups to analyze the impact of using financial incentives to improve completion of CRC screenings.
Author(s): Laura M. Perry, Erin Peacock, Angela LeBlanc, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 07/2025
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Gaps in Access to Pulmonary Hypertension Care and Opportunities for Improvement: A Multi-Site Qualitative Study
Discusses access barriers to pulmonary hypertension (PH) specialty care in the United States. Utilizes qualitative feedback from staff and patients at 3 PH healthcare centers and discusses issues such as lack of expertise, lack of insurance coverage, and geographic barriers to care, including in rural areas.
Author(s): Kari R. Gillmeyer, Sara Shusterman, Seppo T. Rinne, A. Rani Elwy, Renda Soylemez Wiener
Citation: BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 25, 355
Date: 07/2025
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Discusses access barriers to pulmonary hypertension (PH) specialty care in the United States. Utilizes qualitative feedback from staff and patients at 3 PH healthcare centers and discusses issues such as lack of expertise, lack of insurance coverage, and geographic barriers to care, including in rural areas.
Author(s): Kari R. Gillmeyer, Sara Shusterman, Seppo T. Rinne, A. Rani Elwy, Renda Soylemez Wiener
Citation: BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 25, 355
Date: 07/2025
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Evaluating the Implementation of Maternal Safety Bundles for Obstetric Hemorrhage and Severe Hypertension During Pregnancy in Arkansas
Examines the impact of maternal safety bundles to improve outcomes for patients with obstetric hemorrhage and maternal hypertension. Analyzes safety bundle implementation in 37 Arkansas hospitals, with breakdowns according to hospital characteristics such as hospital size and type, number of beds, number of maternal healthcare professionals, rural versus urban region, and more.
Author(s): Cheng Peng, Mahip Acharya, Batool Khattab, et al.
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 25, 793
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the impact of maternal safety bundles to improve outcomes for patients with obstetric hemorrhage and maternal hypertension. Analyzes safety bundle implementation in 37 Arkansas hospitals, with breakdowns according to hospital characteristics such as hospital size and type, number of beds, number of maternal healthcare professionals, rural versus urban region, and more.
Author(s): Cheng Peng, Mahip Acharya, Batool Khattab, et al.
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 25, 793
Date: 07/2025
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Emergency Department Visits among Rural and Urban Older Adults: Disparities in Ambulatory and Emergency Care Sensitive Conditions
Compares emergency department (ED) utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) and emergency care sensitive conditions (ECSCs) among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries. Presents findings from a pooled cross-sectional analysis of 2016–2020 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Courtney Kitchen, Craig Rothenberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 275
Date: 07/2025
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Compares emergency department (ED) utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) and emergency care sensitive conditions (ECSCs) among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries. Presents findings from a pooled cross-sectional analysis of 2016–2020 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Courtney Kitchen, Craig Rothenberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 275
Date: 07/2025
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How Should Rural EMS Funding Streams Be Improved?
Discusses the need and mechanisms for funding rural EMS systems more robustly. Offers suggestions for finding funding and discusses the decline in volunteerism.
Author(s): James Small
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 27(7), E518-524
Date: 07/2025
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Discusses the need and mechanisms for funding rural EMS systems more robustly. Offers suggestions for finding funding and discusses the decline in volunteerism.
Author(s): James Small
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 27(7), E518-524
Date: 07/2025
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Financial Performance of Rural and Urban Nursing Homes: A Comparative Analysis
Presents a study comparing the financial performance between rural and urban nursing homes. Discusses the different structural barriers and facilitators that affect the operating margins in rural and urban facilities.
Author(s): Gregory N. Orewa, Rohit Pradhan, Akbar Ghiasi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70053
Date: 07/2025
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Presents a study comparing the financial performance between rural and urban nursing homes. Discusses the different structural barriers and facilitators that affect the operating margins in rural and urban facilities.
Author(s): Gregory N. Orewa, Rohit Pradhan, Akbar Ghiasi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70053
Date: 07/2025
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Pennsylvania Rural Health Plan, 2025-2030
Highlights healthcare challenges in rural Pennsylvania, acknowledges strengths, and promotes recommendations to address disparities. Features demographics and sections on social determinants of health, agricultural safety and farmworker health, aging, disabilities, homelessness, veterans, Pennsylvania's healthcare delivery system, broadband access, and telehealth.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Rural Health Association
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Highlights healthcare challenges in rural Pennsylvania, acknowledges strengths, and promotes recommendations to address disparities. Features demographics and sections on social determinants of health, agricultural safety and farmworker health, aging, disabilities, homelessness, veterans, Pennsylvania's healthcare delivery system, broadband access, and telehealth.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Rural Health Association
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