Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Russell County Hospital Aligning for Future Success
Details the improvements made by Russell County Hospital (RCH), a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Russell Springs, Kentucky, as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) project. Major accomplishments include expanding primary care and surgery services, developing a strategic plan, establishing and monitoring quality indicators, and optimizing participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. RCH is also working with the community and the media to promote their quality scores, which are consistently high.
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Details the improvements made by Russell County Hospital (RCH), a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Russell Springs, Kentucky, as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) project. Major accomplishments include expanding primary care and surgery services, developing a strategic plan, establishing and monitoring quality indicators, and optimizing participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. RCH is also working with the community and the media to promote their quality scores, which are consistently high.
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Getting Started with the Quality Payment Program: An Overview of MIPS for Small, Rural, and Underserved Practices
Provides a webinar recording discussing the effects of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) on small, rural, and underserved practices. Includes sections on eligibility, participation, reporting, performance categories, and submission and scoring methods. Outlines specific eligibility requirements for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), and provides a checklist for preparing and participating in MIPS.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript, Webinar Playlist by Section
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides a webinar recording discussing the effects of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) on small, rural, and underserved practices. Includes sections on eligibility, participation, reporting, performance categories, and submission and scoring methods. Outlines specific eligibility requirements for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), and provides a checklist for preparing and participating in MIPS.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript, Webinar Playlist by Section
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Hospital Compare Quality Measure Results for CAHs, 2015
Examines Hospital Compare data for calendar year 2015 and summarizes reporting rates and performance among all U.S. Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Charts and graphs allow comparison of overall reporting rates and performance for specific quality measures, and state-by-state comparison of CAH reporting rates for inpatient and outpatient measures.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Tami Swenson, Alex Evenson
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Examines Hospital Compare data for calendar year 2015 and summarizes reporting rates and performance among all U.S. Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Charts and graphs allow comparison of overall reporting rates and performance for specific quality measures, and state-by-state comparison of CAH reporting rates for inpatient and outpatient measures.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Tami Swenson, Alex Evenson
Date: 02/2017
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Evaluation of Rural vs Urban Trauma Patients Served by 9-1-1 Emergency Medical Services
Evaluates differences in rural and urban emergency medical services (EMS) using injury severity, care process, and mortality among injured patients based on data from rural and urban Oregon and Washington. Addresses distance to trauma centers, EMS structures, timing of death, and other factors.
Author(s): Craig D. Newgard, Rongwei Fu, Eileen Bulger, et al.
Citation: JAMA Surgery, 152(1), 11-18
Date: 01/2017
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Evaluates differences in rural and urban emergency medical services (EMS) using injury severity, care process, and mortality among injured patients based on data from rural and urban Oregon and Washington. Addresses distance to trauma centers, EMS structures, timing of death, and other factors.
Author(s): Craig D. Newgard, Rongwei Fu, Eileen Bulger, et al.
Citation: JAMA Surgery, 152(1), 11-18
Date: 01/2017
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Patients' Experiences in CAHs: HCAHPS Results, 2015
Results from the calendar year 2015 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, as well as links to specific state reports.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Tami Swenson, Alex Evenson
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Results from the calendar year 2015 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, as well as links to specific state reports.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Tami Swenson, Alex Evenson
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Accounting for Social Risk Factors in Medicare Payment
Fifth and final report in a series designed to identify social risk factors that affect the health outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries and methods to account for these factors in Medicare payment programs. Offers thoughts about selecting the best methods to account for social risk factors and achieve policy goals. Chapter 2 includes a discussion about urbanicity and rurality, and suggests that a beneficiary's place of residence is a stronger indicator of social risk than their provider's location. Report was assembled by an ad hoc committee under the direction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on Accounting for Socioeconomic Status in Medicare Payment Programs
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Fifth and final report in a series designed to identify social risk factors that affect the health outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries and methods to account for these factors in Medicare payment programs. Offers thoughts about selecting the best methods to account for social risk factors and achieve policy goals. Chapter 2 includes a discussion about urbanicity and rurality, and suggests that a beneficiary's place of residence is a stronger indicator of social risk than their provider's location. Report was assembled by an ad hoc committee under the direction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on Accounting for Socioeconomic Status in Medicare Payment Programs
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Indian Health Service: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Quality of Care
Reports results from a performance audit conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) from March 2016 through January 2017, examining IHS's oversight of quality of care in its federally operated facilities. Draws conclusions based on a review of policies related to quality of care, interviews with IHS officials at the headquarters and area offices, and examination of documents from governance meetings. Makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on actions that can be taken to help ensure quality care is provided in federally operated IHS facilities. Appendices include the responding comments from HHS and provide additional information about leadership turnover at IHS offices and facilities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reports results from a performance audit conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) from March 2016 through January 2017, examining IHS's oversight of quality of care in its federally operated facilities. Draws conclusions based on a review of policies related to quality of care, interviews with IHS officials at the headquarters and area offices, and examination of documents from governance meetings. Makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on actions that can be taken to help ensure quality care is provided in federally operated IHS facilities. Appendices include the responding comments from HHS and provide additional information about leadership turnover at IHS offices and facilities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Bridging Gaps in Mental Health Care: Lessons Learned from the Welcome Back Veterans Initiative
Details a study on the role of privately funded programs filling in the gaps between the Military Health System (MHS), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and civilian healthcare providers in providing mental healthcare to veterans returning from deployment.
Date: 2017
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Details a study on the role of privately funded programs filling in the gaps between the Military Health System (MHS), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and civilian healthcare providers in providing mental healthcare to veterans returning from deployment.
Date: 2017
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Impact of Early Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation Orders on Procedures and Outcomes of Severe Sepsis
Examines the impact of early Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation (DNAR) orders on in-hospital mortality and interventional procedures among severe sepsis hospitalizations. Determines patient characteristics among the sepsis DNAR population that affect outcomes. Includes statistics of severe sepsis visits with and without early DNAR orders by various demographics, primary payer, urban and rural hospital locations, and other clinical indicators.
Author(s): Neza N. Sarkari, Sarah M. Perman, Adit A. Ginde
Citation: Journal of Critical Care, 36, 134-139
Date: 12/2016
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Examines the impact of early Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation (DNAR) orders on in-hospital mortality and interventional procedures among severe sepsis hospitalizations. Determines patient characteristics among the sepsis DNAR population that affect outcomes. Includes statistics of severe sepsis visits with and without early DNAR orders by various demographics, primary payer, urban and rural hospital locations, and other clinical indicators.
Author(s): Neza N. Sarkari, Sarah M. Perman, Adit A. Ginde
Citation: Journal of Critical Care, 36, 134-139
Date: 12/2016
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Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations for Acute and Chronic Conditions in Alaska, 2010–2012
Estimates potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPH) for acute and chronic conditions among Alaskan adults aged 18 years and older from 2010 to 2012. Includes statistics on PPH, for both acute and chronic conditions, and all other hospitalizations by sex, age group, hospital location, and expected payment source.
Author(s): Prabhu P. Gounder, Sara M. Seeman, Robert C. Holman, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 4, 614-621
Date: 12/2016
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Estimates potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPH) for acute and chronic conditions among Alaskan adults aged 18 years and older from 2010 to 2012. Includes statistics on PPH, for both acute and chronic conditions, and all other hospitalizations by sex, age group, hospital location, and expected payment source.
Author(s): Prabhu P. Gounder, Sara M. Seeman, Robert C. Holman, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 4, 614-621
Date: 12/2016
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