Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
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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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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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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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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Use and Performance Variations in U.S. Rural Emergency Departments: Implications for Improving Care Quality and Reducing Costs
Illustrates the utilization and performance of emergency departments (EDs) across the urban/rural spectrum for non-emergency health conditions. Identifies and discusses the potential risk factors that may impact ED use for non-emergent healthcare.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Marilyn G. Klug, Gary Hart
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Illustrates the utilization and performance of emergency departments (EDs) across the urban/rural spectrum for non-emergency health conditions. Identifies and discusses the potential risk factors that may impact ED use for non-emergent healthcare.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Marilyn G. Klug, Gary Hart
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Rural Health Clinic Readiness for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition: Preparing for the Evolving Healthcare Marketplace
Discusses the results from a survey of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) that identified their capability to be eligible as a NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and examines the need for technical assistance and support of RHCs in the development of the PCMH model.
Additional links: Research & Policy Brief
Author(s): John Gale, Zach Croll, David Hartley, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Discusses the results from a survey of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) that identified their capability to be eligible as a NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and examines the need for technical assistance and support of RHCs in the development of the PCMH model.
Additional links: Research & Policy Brief
Author(s): John Gale, Zach Croll, David Hartley, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Nurse Staffing Levels and Quality of Care in Rural Nursing Homes
Examines the relationship between nurse staffing levels (registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and certified nurse aide hours per resident per day) and the quality of care in rural nursing homes. Includes data for hospital-based facilities and freestanding nursing homes.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the relationship between nurse staffing levels (registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and certified nurse aide hours per resident per day) and the quality of care in rural nursing homes. Includes data for hospital-based facilities and freestanding nursing homes.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Quality of Hospice Care: Comparison Between Rural and Urban Residents
Examines perceptions of hospice care by 331 rural and 412 urban hospice patients or family members in the Southeastern United States, from September 2009 through April 2010. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural or urban location, patient race, and cancer or non-cancer diagnosis.
Author(s): Marianne Baernholdt, Cathy L. Campbell, Ivora D. Hinton, Guofen Yan, Erica Lewis
Citation: Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 30(3), 247-253
Date: 2015
Type: Document
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Examines perceptions of hospice care by 331 rural and 412 urban hospice patients or family members in the Southeastern United States, from September 2009 through April 2010. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural or urban location, patient race, and cancer or non-cancer diagnosis.
Author(s): Marianne Baernholdt, Cathy L. Campbell, Ivora D. Hinton, Guofen Yan, Erica Lewis
Citation: Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 30(3), 247-253
Date: 2015
Type: Document
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Rural Substance Use Treatment Centers in the United States: An Assessment of Treatment Quality by Location
Investigates the differences in treatment quality in rural and urban substance abuse treatment centers to determine if these differences are a result of structural characteristics and rurality.
Author(s): Mary Bond Edmond, Lydia Aletraris, Paul M. Roman
Citation: American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 41(5), 449-457
Date: 2015
Type: Document
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Investigates the differences in treatment quality in rural and urban substance abuse treatment centers to determine if these differences are a result of structural characteristics and rurality.
Author(s): Mary Bond Edmond, Lydia Aletraris, Paul M. Roman
Citation: American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 41(5), 449-457
Date: 2015
Type: Document
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Healthy Clinic Assessments (HCAs): Promising Practices: How Healthy Clinic Assessments Are Improving Business Operations and Internal Processes
Assesses the essential business operations of health clinics in rural, frontier, and urban-underserved areas in Colorado. Identifies which areas of improvement should be undertaken, and provides an action plan for change focusing on quality of care, clinic efficiency, and increased revenue.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Assesses the essential business operations of health clinics in rural, frontier, and urban-underserved areas in Colorado. Identifies which areas of improvement should be undertaken, and provides an action plan for change focusing on quality of care, clinic efficiency, and increased revenue.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Resources and Capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Provide Timely and Accessible Care to Veterans
Provides an analysis of current and future Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare resources and capabilities in rural and urban areas. Focuses on fiscal resources, workforce, physical infrastructure, health information technology, access to VA healthcare, challenges and enablers to access, healthcare quality, and policies to improve access to healthcare for veterans.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Provides an analysis of current and future Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare resources and capabilities in rural and urban areas. Focuses on fiscal resources, workforce, physical infrastructure, health information technology, access to VA healthcare, challenges and enablers to access, healthcare quality, and policies to improve access to healthcare for veterans.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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