Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Enhancing Primary Care Capacity for Cardiovascular Disease Management Through the ECHO+ Model: A Multistate Rural Collaboration Among West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma
Examines quality of care and clinician capacity impacts of the ECHO+ cardiovascular disease (CVD) tele-education course, which included asynchronous pre-recorded lectures and a quality improvement learning collaborative for 41 rural primary care providers in West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Provides data on ECHO+ impacts on CVD quality indicators, patient outcomes, and participant feedback.
Author(s): Dru Ricci, Hannah Schmitt, Heidi Ngov, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 09/2025
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Examines quality of care and clinician capacity impacts of the ECHO+ cardiovascular disease (CVD) tele-education course, which included asynchronous pre-recorded lectures and a quality improvement learning collaborative for 41 rural primary care providers in West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Provides data on ECHO+ impacts on CVD quality indicators, patient outcomes, and participant feedback.
Author(s): Dru Ricci, Hannah Schmitt, Heidi Ngov, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 09/2025
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Comparison of Discharge Disposition and AHA Prehospital Stroke Compliance among Urban, Suburban, and Rural EMS Agencies
Compares patient outcomes and compliance with quality of care guidelines among rural, suburban, and urban EMS agencies. Utilizes prehospital encounter data from 31 Colorado and Wyoming hospitals from 2020 to 2022.
Author(s): Daria S. Nicke, Courtney Wham, Ian Espinoza, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 34(9), 108402
Date: 09/2025
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Compares patient outcomes and compliance with quality of care guidelines among rural, suburban, and urban EMS agencies. Utilizes prehospital encounter data from 31 Colorado and Wyoming hospitals from 2020 to 2022.
Author(s): Daria S. Nicke, Courtney Wham, Ian Espinoza, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 34(9), 108402
Date: 09/2025
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Health Center Performance Improvement Toolkit
Offers a framework to support health center performance improvement and health outcomes across seven domains. Includes a guide to self-assessment to help health centers assess their current performance in each domain, describe assess their current performance in each domain, describe future performance goals, and identify how to reach and sustain improved performance. Offers self-assessment tools, including fillable checklists for each domain, progress snapshot worksheets, and example improvement activities.
Additional links: Guide to Self-Assessment, Self-Assessment Tools
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
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Offers a framework to support health center performance improvement and health outcomes across seven domains. Includes a guide to self-assessment to help health centers assess their current performance in each domain, describe assess their current performance in each domain, describe future performance goals, and identify how to reach and sustain improved performance. Offers self-assessment tools, including fillable checklists for each domain, progress snapshot worksheets, and example improvement activities.
Additional links: Guide to Self-Assessment, Self-Assessment Tools
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
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MBQIP 2025 Measure Core Set Information Guide
Provides an overview of the 2025 Core Measure Set adopted by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) for use in the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). Offers descriptions, rationales, data elements, data availability, resources, and more for each new and continuing measure.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Provides an overview of the 2025 Core Measure Set adopted by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) for use in the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). Offers descriptions, rationales, data elements, data availability, resources, and more for each new and continuing measure.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Outcomes in Pregnant Patients with Congenital Heart Disease by Rurality
Examines associations between rurality, major adverse cardiac events, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with congenital heart disease, utilizing 2016-2021 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample data. Discusses factors influencing access to care, quality of care, and patient outcomes in rural communities.
Author(s): Mehr Jain, Franklin Iheanacho, Kristen Sparagna, et al.
Citation: Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 53(7), 900-907
Date: 08/2025
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Examines associations between rurality, major adverse cardiac events, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with congenital heart disease, utilizing 2016-2021 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample data. Discusses factors influencing access to care, quality of care, and patient outcomes in rural communities.
Author(s): Mehr Jain, Franklin Iheanacho, Kristen Sparagna, et al.
Citation: Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 53(7), 900-907
Date: 08/2025
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Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond
Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Skill Mix Versus Flexibility: Decoding Nurse Staffing Impacts on Critical Access Hospitals
Presents a study on the skill mix and flexibility of nurse staffing on the financial stability, care quality, and efficacy of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2023. Correlates skill mix and flexibility with hospital outcomes and controls for hospital-specific, socioeconomic, and demographic factors.
Author(s): Dinesh R. Pai, Esmaeil Bahalkeh
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70075
Date: 08/2025
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Presents a study on the skill mix and flexibility of nurse staffing on the financial stability, care quality, and efficacy of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2023. Correlates skill mix and flexibility with hospital outcomes and controls for hospital-specific, socioeconomic, and demographic factors.
Author(s): Dinesh R. Pai, Esmaeil Bahalkeh
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70075
Date: 08/2025
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End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model: Third Annual Evaluation Report, Calendar Years 2021-2023
Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, waitlisting for a kidney transplant, living donor and deceased donor transplantation, utilization of services, Medicare payments, and quality of care. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the first three years of the ETC Model, 2021-2023. Explores if the impacts of the ETC Model differed by patient subgroup, including rural residence.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, waitlisting for a kidney transplant, living donor and deceased donor transplantation, utilization of services, Medicare payments, and quality of care. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the first three years of the ETC Model, 2021-2023. Explores if the impacts of the ETC Model differed by patient subgroup, including rural residence.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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The Impact of Telehealth on Cost and Time Efficiency for Patients With Disabilities During Nonemergency Encounters: A Scoping Review
A scoping review of 2018-2024 studies focused on telehealth and related themes of efficiency, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and increased access to healthcare for people with chronic disabilities. Analyzes 8 studies on telehealth and includes commentary on its effectiveness in rural areas.
Author(s): Kaushalya Mendis, Veda Priya Puligundla, Myles Rosenzweig, et al.
Citation: The Permanente Journal
Date: 08/2025
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A scoping review of 2018-2024 studies focused on telehealth and related themes of efficiency, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and increased access to healthcare for people with chronic disabilities. Analyzes 8 studies on telehealth and includes commentary on its effectiveness in rural areas.
Author(s): Kaushalya Mendis, Veda Priya Puligundla, Myles Rosenzweig, et al.
Citation: The Permanente Journal
Date: 08/2025
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Rural Patients' Experiences with Diagnosis and Treatment of Endometrial Cancer
Examines healthcare and treatment quality related to endometrial cancer (EC) in rural patients. Utilizes interview feedback from 22 patients and 1 caregiver in rural North Carolina on perceptions and knowledge of EC symptoms, social network influence, financial and transportation burdens, healthcare experiences, community perceptions, and more.
Author(s): Victoria M. Petermann, Brianna D. Taffe, Blen M. Biru, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70065
Date: 08/2025
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Examines healthcare and treatment quality related to endometrial cancer (EC) in rural patients. Utilizes interview feedback from 22 patients and 1 caregiver in rural North Carolina on perceptions and knowledge of EC symptoms, social network influence, financial and transportation burdens, healthcare experiences, community perceptions, and more.
Author(s): Victoria M. Petermann, Brianna D. Taffe, Blen M. Biru, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70065
Date: 08/2025
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