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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality

Benefits of Early Versus Delayed Palliative Care to Informal Family Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Cancer: Outcomes From the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial
Examines the effects of introducing early palliative care intervention in rural settings for family caregivers (CGs) of patients with advanced-stage cancer by comparing the ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise Before Life Ends) model of early palliative care with the customary cancer care. Addresses the CGs needs and how meeting these needs would support problem solving, decision making, and advance care planning.
Author(s): J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom, Andres Azuero, Kathleen D. Lyons, et al.
Citation: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 33(13), 1446-1452
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Delay Within Appalachia – The Role of For-Profit Hospitals
Discusses the timeliness of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in rural hospitals of the Appalachian regions of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Study uses data from the 2006-2008 Central Cancer Registry (CCR) as well as Medicare claims to identify delays between diagnosis and treatment in healthcare facilities with various funding models.
Author(s): Eric E. Seiber, Fabian Camacho, Muhammad Fazal Zeeshan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 31(4), 382-391
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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An Overview of the Patient-Centered Medical Home for Rural Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Stakeholders
Summary of a project designed to prepare rural stakeholders to participate in comparative effectiveness research (CER), obtain baseline information to learn more about patient-centered medical homes from a rural perspective, select an area in need of CER, and create channels for sharing those results.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Kansas School of Social Welfare Center for Children and Families
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Hospital Readmissions Involving Psychiatric Disorders, 2012
Provides data on 30-day hospital readmissions for mood disorders and for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Figure 1 and Figure 2 include readmission data by location of patient residence, for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.
Author(s): Kevin C. Heslin, Audrey J. Weiss
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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In Care Transitions, a Chance to Make or Break Patients' Recovery
Provides an overview of the challenges in patient care transitions rural patients and providers face. Describes the Rural Options At Discharge Model of Active Planning (ROADMAP) project whose goal is to improve discharge planning by addressing the communication between regional and rural hospitals utilizing input from rural patients and providers in Montana to make improvements.
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
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Does Patient Rurality Predict Quality Colon Cancer Care? A Population Based Study
Study of 123,129 colon cancer patients listed on the California Cancer Registry from 1996-2008, 15% of whom lived in rural areas. Features demographic statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Christopher J. Chow, Waddah B. Al-Refaie, Anasooya Abraham, et al.
Citation: Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, 58(4), 415-422
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
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Population Health in Rural Communities
Policy paper discussing the concept of population health in rural communities with a focus on providing better care, improving health, and lowering costs.
Author(s): Sally Buck, Patricia A. Crawford, John Gale, Deborah Holzmark, Michelle Mills
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations: March 2015
Annual report identifying the top 25 unimplemented recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that, in OIG's view, would have the most substantial positive impact on Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Positive impact may refer to cost savings, program efficacy and efficiency, and/or quality improvement. Primary areas of interest in the March 2015 edition include: Medicare payment policies and oversight mechanisms, face-to-face requirements for home health agencies, and strengthening fraud prevention in electronic health record (EHR) technology across all providers, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Colorado Critical Access Hospitals and Clinics: Improving Communication and Readmission (iCARE) White Paper
Details how the Colorado Rural Health Center's Improving Communication and Readmission (iCARE) program is improving the patient experience at Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Health Clinics in Colorado by enhancing care coordination and lowering readmission rates.
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Comprehensive Quality Improvement in Rural Health Care
Policy paper addresses comprehensive quality improvement for rural healthcare by incorporating and tailoring strategies from the National Quality Strategy (NQS) aims of better care, healthy people/communities and affordable care to better suit rural healthcare. Includes four broad steps to help guide rural facilities through the quality improvement process.
Author(s): Kevin Driesen, Gretchen Holmes, Mary Smith
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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