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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality

Texas Value-Based Payment and Quality Improvement Advisory Committee Recommendations to the 89th Texas Legislature
Identifies trends and provides policy recommendations related to value based care and quality improvement in Texas. Discusses rural healthcare access and workforce throughout and highlights key reports focusing on rural health.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Exploring Disparities in Post-Cancer Treatment Instructions: An Analysis of Rural vs. Urban Breast Cancer Survivors in Missouri using BRFSS Data
Examines receipt of post-cancer treatment summary and follow-up instructions among rural and urban breast cancer survivors in Missouri, utilizing Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Cancer Survivorship Module data for 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Provides data breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, and rural setting.
Author(s): Allison B. Anbari, Knoo Lee, Jennifer M. Hulett, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 1533
Date: 12/2024
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Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Access to Accredited Facilities for Cancer Treatment
Examines access to cancer care at accredited hospitals in Pennsylvania due to expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Analyzes patient characteristics before and after ACA implementation, with breakdowns according to sex, age, race/ethnicity, area deprivation, and urban, large town, small town, or rural location, among other characteristics. Provides commentary on ACA impacts for patients in nonurban areas.
Author(s): Lindsay M. Sabik, Youngmin Kwon, Coleman Drake, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(6)
Date: 12/2024
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Methods Report Describing 2016-2021 HCUP Data in the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (NHQDR)
Describes the preparation of Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data for use in the 2024 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report, which includes information on priority populations such as rural residents. Includes information on HCUP-based measures that include data by urban-rural location.
Author(s): R. Wang, S. Wang, X. Lin, et al.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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The Obstetrics Comorbidity Index as a Predictive Tool for Risk-Appropriate Maternal Care
Assesses the use of obstetric co-morbidity index (OBCMI) to predict severe maternal morbidity (SMM) for antepartum obstetrics transfers, utilizing 2016-2020 data of 561 transfers to a level IV facility in a rural health system. Provides data on the associations between OBCMI score and SMM, and discusses the use of OBCMI for triage and comprehensive risk assessment.
Author(s): Allison R. McCarter, Regan N. Theiler, Megan E. Branda, et al.
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24, 797
Date: 11/2024
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National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps Meeting Agenda, November 19-20, 2024
Agenda and meeting materials for the November 19-20, 2024 meeting, including Bureau of Health Workforce and National Health Services Corps updates, and presentations on limited English proficiency populations, achieving deaf health equity, and re-framing language as an opportunity to improve health equity.
Additional links: Achieving Deaf Equity: Best Practices, Language Access at Yakima Farm Workers Clinic, Language Testing International Assessments and Proficiency Overview, Limited English Proficiency Populations, Re-Framing Language as an Opportunity to Improve Health Equity
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps
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Meeker Memorial Hospital: Bringing Sustainable Coordination of Care to its Patients and Community
Provides a profile of Meeker Memorial Hospital (MMH), a healthcare facility located in Minnesota and part of the 2022-2023 Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project (RHPTP). Discusses MMH's process to improve finances and operations, implement electronic medical record (EMR) training, partner with pharmacy schools, and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Federally Qualified Health Centers and Performance of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations
Explores the association between participation of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) with ACOs' beneficiary characteristics, utilization, expenditure, and quality. Features statistics including estimated changes in Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO-assigned beneficiaries, utilization, and expenditure, with breakdowns by FQHC and RHC visits and other types of visits.
Author(s): Kun Li, Yucheng Hou, Frank McStay, Jonathan Gonzalez-Smith, Robert S. Saunders
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(11), e2445536
Date: 11/2024
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Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CY 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1809-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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