Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Care Transformation Toolkit
Provides an overview of common approaches and best practices Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) utilize to improve healthcare quality, lower healthcare costs, and enhance patient experiences. Describes ACO programs designed to use telehealth to expand access to care and improve efficiency, support high-risk beneficiaries through home visits, and provide timely access to skilled nursing care through Medicare waivers. Discusses lessons learned, options available to ACOs, and possible implementation challenges.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Provides an overview of common approaches and best practices Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) utilize to improve healthcare quality, lower healthcare costs, and enhance patient experiences. Describes ACO programs designed to use telehealth to expand access to care and improve efficiency, support high-risk beneficiaries through home visits, and provide timely access to skilled nursing care through Medicare waivers. Discusses lessons learned, options available to ACOs, and possible implementation challenges.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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One in Three Adults Used Telehealth during the First Six Months of the Pandemic, but Unmet Needs for Care Persisted
Examines the use of telehealth among nonelderly adults during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores overall telehealth utilization, patient satisfaction, wanting telehealth services but not receiving them, the share of patients who went without care, and reasons for not using telehealth. Includes data on sociodemographic factors, health status, and number of chronic conditions.
Author(s): Laura Barrie Smith, Fredric Blavin
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Examines the use of telehealth among nonelderly adults during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores overall telehealth utilization, patient satisfaction, wanting telehealth services but not receiving them, the share of patients who went without care, and reasons for not using telehealth. Includes data on sociodemographic factors, health status, and number of chronic conditions.
Author(s): Laura Barrie Smith, Fredric Blavin
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Mental Health Systems Solutions Explorer
Interactive tool offering evidence-based solutions to increase mental healthcare utilization, increase access to care, and establish a continuum of care. Contains examples of each solution in practice. Solutions can be filtered to view those specifically of interest to rural communities.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Interactive tool offering evidence-based solutions to increase mental healthcare utilization, increase access to care, and establish a continuum of care. Contains examples of each solution in practice. Solutions can be filtered to view those specifically of interest to rural communities.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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How to Transform the U.S. Mental Health System: Evidence-based Recommendations
Discusses evidence-based strategies to promote mental healthcare utilization, improve access to care, and establish a continuum of care. Offers 15 recommendations to improve mental healthcare, including policies regarding reimbursement, workforce growth, and digital and telehealth services, among other topics. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report, Research Brief: Transforming Mental Health Care in the United States
Author(s): Ryan K. McBain, Nicole K. Eberhart, Joshua Breslau, et al.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Discusses evidence-based strategies to promote mental healthcare utilization, improve access to care, and establish a continuum of care. Offers 15 recommendations to improve mental healthcare, including policies regarding reimbursement, workforce growth, and digital and telehealth services, among other topics. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report, Research Brief: Transforming Mental Health Care in the United States
Author(s): Ryan K. McBain, Nicole K. Eberhart, Joshua Breslau, et al.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Rural Federally Qualified Health Centers Financial and Operational Performance Analysis 2016-2019
Examines financial and operational characteristics of rural Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Explores FQHC patient and payer mix, revenue and growth mix, financial performance, quality of care, and more. Compares data on rural FQHCs to urban and national FQHC data.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Capital Link
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Examines financial and operational characteristics of rural Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Explores FQHC patient and payer mix, revenue and growth mix, financial performance, quality of care, and more. Compares data on rural FQHCs to urban and national FQHC data.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Capital Link
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Maternal Mortalities and Severe Maternal Morbidity in Arizona
Provides an overview of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Arizona as related to issues such as access to healthcare, social determinants of health, and quality of care. Utilizes 2016-2017 data to examine adverse maternal outcomes by county and demographic, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Provides an overview of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Arizona as related to issues such as access to healthcare, social determinants of health, and quality of care. Utilizes 2016-2017 data to examine adverse maternal outcomes by county and demographic, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Assessing Clinical Quality Performance and Staffing Capacity Differences Between Urban and Rural Health Resources and Services Administration-Funded Health Centers in the United States: A Cross Sectional Study
Study comparing quality of medical care in urban and rural health centers funded by the Heath Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) using 2017 Uniform Data System data and 2016 Area Health Resources File data for 1,373 health centers, over 600 of which are rural. Examines 15 reported quality measures related to prevention, care management, and clinical outcomes.
Author(s): Nadereh Pourat, Xiao Chen, Connie Lu, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 15(12), e0242844
Date: 12/2020
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Study comparing quality of medical care in urban and rural health centers funded by the Heath Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) using 2017 Uniform Data System data and 2016 Area Health Resources File data for 1,373 health centers, over 600 of which are rural. Examines 15 reported quality measures related to prevention, care management, and clinical outcomes.
Author(s): Nadereh Pourat, Xiao Chen, Connie Lu, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 15(12), e0242844
Date: 12/2020
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Patient Experiences: Best Practices of High Performing Critical Access Hospitals
Recording of a December 15, 2020, webinar discussing best practices used by high-performing Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) regarding patient satisfaction. Provides an overview of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and examines Oklahoma CAH performance in HCAHPS. Presents best practices for improving HCAHPS performance and for patient and family engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Karla Weng
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Oklahoma State University Center for Rural Health, Stratis Health
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Recording of a December 15, 2020, webinar discussing best practices used by high-performing Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) regarding patient satisfaction. Provides an overview of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and examines Oklahoma CAH performance in HCAHPS. Presents best practices for improving HCAHPS performance and for patient and family engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Karla Weng
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Oklahoma State University Center for Rural Health, Stratis Health
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NRHA Rapid Response Policy Brief: Telehealth
Policy position brief outlining the National Rural Health Association's policy statements and recommendations to encourage the adoption of telehealth services in rural America. Discusses reimbursement, healthcare quality, broadband access, and other telehealth policy topics.
Author(s): Pat Schou, Sarah Huling, Brady Beecham, Leslie Marsh, Rachael Sherard
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position brief outlining the National Rural Health Association's policy statements and recommendations to encourage the adoption of telehealth services in rural America. Discusses reimbursement, healthcare quality, broadband access, and other telehealth policy topics.
Author(s): Pat Schou, Sarah Huling, Brady Beecham, Leslie Marsh, Rachael Sherard
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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How to Design Value‐based Care Models for Rural Participant Success: A Summit Findings Report
Summarizes a July 2020 virtual summit of rural participants in value‐based care (VBC) models and programs. Details six themes on VBC model design, implementation, and operation that can influence rural organization participation in VBC models. Provides recommendations for VBC model designers to improve rural healthcare provider participation and success in VBC models.
Author(s): Keith Mueller, Clint MacKinney, Jennifer Lundblad, Karla Weng
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Summarizes a July 2020 virtual summit of rural participants in value‐based care (VBC) models and programs. Details six themes on VBC model design, implementation, and operation that can influence rural organization participation in VBC models. Provides recommendations for VBC model designers to improve rural healthcare provider participation and success in VBC models.
Author(s): Keith Mueller, Clint MacKinney, Jennifer Lundblad, Karla Weng
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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