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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality

Neighborhood Disadvantage and Chronic Disease Management
Assesses the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and control of blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol in the Medicare Advantage population. Features demographic statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density.
Author(s): Shayla N.M. Durfey, Amy J.H. Kind, William R. Buckingham, Eva H. DuGoff, Amal N. Trivedi
Citation: Health Services Research, 54(1), Part II, 206-216
Date: 02/2019
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Operative Time and Cost Variability for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Examines the sources of variation in costs of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) to determine the value of the procedure by analyzing cost and operative time data from 13 different facilities (four community rural hospitals, seven community urban centers, and two tertiary care centers) within Intermountain Healthcare (IHC).
Author(s): Andrew J. Thomas, Kristine A. Smith, Christopher I. Newberry, et al.
Citation: International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, 9(1), 23-29
Date: 01/2019
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Improving Rural Systems of Care for Time Critical Diagnoses: A Review of State Flex Program Activities
Examines state Flex program initiatives to improve time critical diagnoses (TCD) care systems and integrate rural emergency medical services (EMS) into area care systems, particularly Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Briefly describes what each of the 17 participating states did to collaborate with EMS stakeholders, enhance TCD capacity, support EMS training, provide technical assistance to local EMS agencies, and collect EMS and TCD data.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Karen Pearson
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural Health Research Recap: Quality of Care in Rural Hospitals
Describes methods used to collect data on rural hospital care quality and offers findings comparing quality in rural and urban hospitals. Features statistics on CMS star quality ratings in 2017, with breakdowns by rural and urban locations.
Author(s): Shawnda Schroeder
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Opioid Prescribing Rates in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties Among Primary Care Providers Using an Electronic Health Record System — United States, 2014–2017
Examines opioid prescribing rates among primary care providers for six urban-rural classification categories of counties, before and after the March 2016 release of CDC's Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.
Author(s): Macarena C. García, Charles M. Heilig, Scott H. Lee, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 68(2), 25-30
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Guadalupe County Hospital Surpassing Six Month SRHT Goals
Features a Sole Community Hospital in Santa Rosa, New Mexico that participated in the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) project. Focuses on their use of LEAN to reduce days net accounts receivable, as well as their increase in services provided, non-measurable impacts, and more.
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Patients' Experiences in CAHs: HCAHPS Results, 2017
Shares results from the calendar year 2017 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, summarizing reporting rates and performance among all U.S. Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes detailed tables that allow state-by-state comparison of response rates and overall CAH performance.
Author(s): Mariah Quick, Tongtan Chantarat, Ashleigh Norris, Ira Moscovice
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Quality Improvement Implementation Guide and Toolkit for Critical Access Hospitals
A guide for Critical Access Hospitals to help them navigate the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) and find ways to support quality improvement in their facilities. Includes ways to organize quality improvement programs, what to focus on, federal program examples, and info-graphics.
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Leapfrog Never Events Report 2019
Examines hospital adherence to Leapfrog's Never Events Policy, which asks hospitals to commit to 9 actions if a "never event" happens, defined as one of 29 serious reportable events that should never happen listed by the National Quality Forum. Identifies rural/urban hospital performance on the initial 5 actions and expanded 9 Never Events Policy actions for 2014-2018.
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: Leapfrog Group
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Systemic Overuse of Health Care in a Commercially Insured US Population, 2010-2015
Examines geographic variation in systemic overuse of health care, using commercial insurance claims data from 375 metropolitan areas and 47 rural regions. Features statistics with breakdowns by overuse indicators, and U.S. maps showing regional variations in overuse.
Author(s): Allison H. Oakes, Hsien-Yen Chang, Jodi B. Segal
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 19, 280
Date: 2019
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