Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Inpatient Care Experiences Are Better in Critical Access Hospitals than in Other Hospitals
Examines the inpatient care experiences of patients in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) hospitals. Utilizes Hospital Consumer Assessment of Hospitals, Providers, and Systems (HCAHPS) survey scores of CAHs and IPPs to evaluate patient experience according to hospital characteristics, patient characteristics, and rural versus urban location. Discusses the importance of CAHs to rural community healthcare access.
Author(s): Megan K. Beckett, Christopher W. Cohea, Paul D. Cleary, Laura A. Giordano, Marc N. Elliott
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Examines the inpatient care experiences of patients in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) hospitals. Utilizes Hospital Consumer Assessment of Hospitals, Providers, and Systems (HCAHPS) survey scores of CAHs and IPPs to evaluate patient experience according to hospital characteristics, patient characteristics, and rural versus urban location. Discusses the importance of CAHs to rural community healthcare access.
Author(s): Megan K. Beckett, Christopher W. Cohea, Paul D. Cleary, Laura A. Giordano, Marc N. Elliott
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Environmental Scan on Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation
Presents results of an environmental scan on reducing barriers to participation in population-based total cost of care (PB-TCOC) models and supporting primary and specialty care transformation. Discusses identifying pathways for maximizing participation of different kinds of organizations in PB-TCOC models; an assessment of and approaches to reducing organization-level barriers; approaches to support primary and specialty care transformation; an assessment of factors that influence the ability of PB-TCOC models to be competitive; and a summary of relevant features in previously submitted Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) proposals. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Presents results of an environmental scan on reducing barriers to participation in population-based total cost of care (PB-TCOC) models and supporting primary and specialty care transformation. Discusses identifying pathways for maximizing participation of different kinds of organizations in PB-TCOC models; an assessment of and approaches to reducing organization-level barriers; approaches to support primary and specialty care transformation; an assessment of factors that influence the ability of PB-TCOC models to be competitive; and a summary of relevant features in previously submitted Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) proposals. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Montana AHEC - HRSA: Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
Provides details of Montana's Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program. Discusses how regional AHECs have helped deliver high-quality healthcare to rural communities throughout the state.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Montana Area Health Education Center, Montana Office of Rural Health
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Provides details of Montana's Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program. Discusses how regional AHECs have helped deliver high-quality healthcare to rural communities throughout the state.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Montana Area Health Education Center, Montana Office of Rural Health
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Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project (RHPTP) Webinar: Quality Improvement (QI) Alignment Across the Hospital and Clinics is Key to Value-Based Payment (VBP) Success
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to align quality improvement (QI) projects with value-based payment (VBP) across organizational settings. Discusses clinical quality measures and sustainability of QI. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Lisa Olson, Candy Hanson
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Stratis Health
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A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to align quality improvement (QI) projects with value-based payment (VBP) across organizational settings. Discusses clinical quality measures and sustainability of QI. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Lisa Olson, Candy Hanson
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Stratis Health
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application Guide
Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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2024 National CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment National Report
Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2024 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2024 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Critical Access Hospital Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM) Resource List
Resource list for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs), reflecting new materials and updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2025 reporting.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Resource list for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs), reflecting new materials and updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2025 reporting.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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The Role of Telehealth in Sepsis Care in Rural Emergency Departments: A Qualitative Study of Emergency Department Sepsis Telehealth User Perspectives
Explores rural emergency department staff use of and perspectives on provider-to-provider telehealth (tele-ED) use for rural patients with sepsis, using data from interviews with 27 hub physicians, rural ED providers, and nurses in the Upper Midwest. Discusses topics related to rural barriers and facilitators of tele-ED use, impacts on quality of care, staff and facility-level factors, and more.
Author(s): Nicholas M. Mohr, Kimberly A.S. Merchant, Brian M. Fuller, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 20(4), e0321299
Date: 04/2025
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Explores rural emergency department staff use of and perspectives on provider-to-provider telehealth (tele-ED) use for rural patients with sepsis, using data from interviews with 27 hub physicians, rural ED providers, and nurses in the Upper Midwest. Discusses topics related to rural barriers and facilitators of tele-ED use, impacts on quality of care, staff and facility-level factors, and more.
Author(s): Nicholas M. Mohr, Kimberly A.S. Merchant, Brian M. Fuller, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 20(4), e0321299
Date: 04/2025
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Rural Emergency Medical Services Perspectives on Improving Acute Stroke Care: A Qualitative Study
Examines barriers and facilitators to timely and high-quality acute stroke care in rural communities via interviews with 12 rural EMS professionals in North Carolina. Discusses topics including comprehensive stroke assessment, destination decision protocols, communication between EMS and hospital staff, transport distances, limited staffing, and more.
Author(s): Emma N. Johnson, Mahesh V. Pinapaka, Mary E. Grewe, et al.
Citation: Prehospital Emergency Care, 29(8), 1123–1131
Date: 04/2025
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Examines barriers and facilitators to timely and high-quality acute stroke care in rural communities via interviews with 12 rural EMS professionals in North Carolina. Discusses topics including comprehensive stroke assessment, destination decision protocols, communication between EMS and hospital staff, transport distances, limited staffing, and more.
Author(s): Emma N. Johnson, Mahesh V. Pinapaka, Mary E. Grewe, et al.
Citation: Prehospital Emergency Care, 29(8), 1123–1131
Date: 04/2025
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Managing Simulated Anesthesia Emergencies with the Use of Clinical Decision Support Systems in a Rural Hospital Setting
Reports on certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) performance with and without the use of a EHR-based clinical decision support system during a simulated acute malignant hyperthermia emergency at a rural hospital in New Mexico. Discusses challenges of responding to anesthesia emergencies in rural settings.
Author(s): David Good, Sharon Schaaf
Citation: AANA Journal, 93(2), 105-115
Date: 04/2025
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Reports on certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) performance with and without the use of a EHR-based clinical decision support system during a simulated acute malignant hyperthermia emergency at a rural hospital in New Mexico. Discusses challenges of responding to anesthesia emergencies in rural settings.
Author(s): David Good, Sharon Schaaf
Citation: AANA Journal, 93(2), 105-115
Date: 04/2025
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