Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Investing in Primary Care: The Nurse Practitioner Will See You Now
Describes opportunities to support advancement of preparation and growth for nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet the population's primary care needs. Explores the importance of NPs in rural and underserved communities, and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Jessica McCann, Margaret Flinter
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Describes opportunities to support advancement of preparation and growth for nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet the population's primary care needs. Explores the importance of NPs in rural and underserved communities, and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Jessica McCann, Margaret Flinter
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Transforming Rural Health Care Through Medicaid Innovation: Tip Sheet Series
Informational tip sheets discussing the use of Medicaid innovations to assist states in creating their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program applications. Covers issues such as behavioral health, school-based services, integrated care access, community health workers, community paramedicine, specialty care, and healthcare technology. Provides examples, strategies, Medicaid policy information, and resources.
Additional links: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals in Rural Areas, Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs, Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs, Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas, Using Project ECHO to Deliver Specialty Care in Rural Areas, Using School-Based Services to Improve Access to Preventive Health Care for Children in Rural Areas, Using Tech-Enabled Solutions to Improve Care Quality and Access in Rural Areas
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nancy Archibald, Karla Silverman, Lauren Scannelli Jacobs
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Informational tip sheets discussing the use of Medicaid innovations to assist states in creating their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program applications. Covers issues such as behavioral health, school-based services, integrated care access, community health workers, community paramedicine, specialty care, and healthcare technology. Provides examples, strategies, Medicaid policy information, and resources.
Additional links: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals in Rural Areas, Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs, Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs, Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas, Using Project ECHO to Deliver Specialty Care in Rural Areas, Using School-Based Services to Improve Access to Preventive Health Care for Children in Rural Areas, Using Tech-Enabled Solutions to Improve Care Quality and Access in Rural Areas
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nancy Archibald, Karla Silverman, Lauren Scannelli Jacobs
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Tenecteplase in Practice: A Rural Tele-Stroke Network's Experience
Compares care outcomes of Alteplase and Tenecteplase as thrombolytic agents for acute ischemic stroke in rural populations. Utilizes data of 1,644 patients who received treatment through the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Telestroke Network.
Author(s): Alexander Vorobyev, Marina Buciuc, Kevin Jacks, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 34(10), 108416
Date: 10/2025
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Compares care outcomes of Alteplase and Tenecteplase as thrombolytic agents for acute ischemic stroke in rural populations. Utilizes data of 1,644 patients who received treatment through the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Telestroke Network.
Author(s): Alexander Vorobyev, Marina Buciuc, Kevin Jacks, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 34(10), 108416
Date: 10/2025
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Physician and Practice Characteristics Associated with Family Physician Panel Size
Results of a study investigating factors associated with variation in panel size, a group of patients assigned to one specific physician or clinical team, from 2017-2023. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by metro and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Andrew Bazemore, Zachary J. Morgan, Kevin Grumbach
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 38(5), 846-854
Date: 09/2025
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Results of a study investigating factors associated with variation in panel size, a group of patients assigned to one specific physician or clinical team, from 2017-2023. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by metro and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Andrew Bazemore, Zachary J. Morgan, Kevin Grumbach
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 38(5), 846-854
Date: 09/2025
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Critical Access Hospital: 2026 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Program. Covers emergency management, infection prevention, pain management and safe prescribing practices, suicide prevention, workplace and patient safety, and more. Effective January 1, 2026.
Additional links: Simplified Version
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Program. Covers emergency management, infection prevention, pain management and safe prescribing practices, suicide prevention, workplace and patient safety, and more. Effective January 1, 2026.
Additional links: Simplified Version
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Telehealth: 2026 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, and more. Effective January 1, 2026.
Additional links: Simplified Version
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, and more. Effective January 1, 2026.
Additional links: Simplified Version
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Community Health Centers and Rural Health: Essential Access, Enduring Challenges
Discusses the role community health centers (CHCs) play in delivering primary care in rural areas. Describes the challenges rural CHCs face and strategies to stabilize and strengthen these facilities. Includes data on the rural CHC workforce and the percentage of all CHC patients served by a rural CHC by state. Compares healthcare quality, the percent of medical and mental health visits that were virtual, and the percent of patients with select chronic conditions by rural and urban location.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Association of Community Health Centers, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Discusses the role community health centers (CHCs) play in delivering primary care in rural areas. Describes the challenges rural CHCs face and strategies to stabilize and strengthen these facilities. Includes data on the rural CHC workforce and the percentage of all CHC patients served by a rural CHC by state. Compares healthcare quality, the percent of medical and mental health visits that were virtual, and the percent of patients with select chronic conditions by rural and urban location.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Association of Community Health Centers, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Comparing Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outcomes Between Rural and Urban Hospitals in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines the impact of rural versus urban location on patient outcomes for Guillain-Barré Syndrome-related hospitalizations, utilizing 2021 National Inpatient Sample data. Provides data on patient outcomes including mortality, length of stay, complications, and discharge disposition. Highlights differences in clinical factors and patient demographics influencing care in rural and urban settings.
Author(s): Anudeep Surendranath, Rahul Damani, Anushareddy Muddasani, Anupam Kumar Gupta
Citation: PLoS One, 20(9), e0333403
Date: 09/2025
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Examines the impact of rural versus urban location on patient outcomes for Guillain-Barré Syndrome-related hospitalizations, utilizing 2021 National Inpatient Sample data. Provides data on patient outcomes including mortality, length of stay, complications, and discharge disposition. Highlights differences in clinical factors and patient demographics influencing care in rural and urban settings.
Author(s): Anudeep Surendranath, Rahul Damani, Anushareddy Muddasani, Anupam Kumar Gupta
Citation: PLoS One, 20(9), e0333403
Date: 09/2025
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Nursing Homes Failed to Report 43 Percent of Falls With Major Injury and Hospitalization among Their Medicare-Enrolled Residents
Explores the extent to which falls with major injury that resulted in hospitalization among Medicare-enrolled nursing home residents were accurately reported by nursing homes in Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments between July 2022 and June 2023. Compares the nursing home and patient characteristics associated with higher rates of unreported falls, including nursing home size, ownership structure, rurality, and overall star rating.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Explores the extent to which falls with major injury that resulted in hospitalization among Medicare-enrolled nursing home residents were accurately reported by nursing homes in Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments between July 2022 and June 2023. Compares the nursing home and patient characteristics associated with higher rates of unreported falls, including nursing home size, ownership structure, rurality, and overall star rating.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Health Panel Comment Letter – Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems Proposed Rule
Comments offered in response to a July 17, 2025, proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems for calendar year 2026. Discusses proposals for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Program (REHQR), and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Programs.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Comments offered in response to a July 17, 2025, proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems for calendar year 2026. Discusses proposals for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Program (REHQR), and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Programs.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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