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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals

Factors Affecting the Development of Medicaid Hospital Payment Policies: Findings from Structured Interviews in Five States
Study examining Medicaid hospital payment policies with a focus on factors affecting payment mix and structure, the impact of state policies and financing methods, how states target hospital services or types such as rural hospitals, barriers to and drivers of change to payment methods, and more. Focuses on 5 states that made or are making significant hospital policy changes: Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and Virginia. Appendix B includes state profiles.
Author(s): Thomas Marks, Kathy Gifford, Steven Perlin, Melisa Byrd, Timothy Beger
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care in Vulnerable Communities
Highlights the health characteristics and conditions of vulnerable populations in rural and urban communities, and the essential healthcare services as identified by the American Hospital Association Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities. Discusses several strategies recommended by the task force to address social determinants of health, enhance virtual care services to reform healthcare delivery and payment methods, and support hospitals in their efforts to provide the needed health services.
Author(s): Jay Bhatt, Priya Bathija
Citation: Academic Medicine, 93(9), 1271-1275
Date: 09/2018
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Telestroke Adoption among Community Hospitals in North Carolina: A Cross-sectional Study
Discusses the advantages of implementing telestroke in rural acute care hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), where stroke mortality is higher than in urban settings. Identifies the community and hospital characteristics associated with the adoption of the telestroke approach in acute care hospitals in North Carolina.
Author(s): Christopher M. Shea, Amir Alishahi Tabriz, Kea Turner, Steve North, Kristin L. Reiter
Citation: Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 27(9), 2411-2417
Date: 09/2018
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Promising Practice: Texas SORH's Handheld Ultrasound Project - An Innovative Approach to Providing Training & Technology to Small Rural Hospitals
Details a pilot program implemented by the Texas State Office of Rural Health that allows rural hospitals to use handheld ultrasound machines as a cost-effective method for improving quality of care.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Evergreen Medical Center Remains Committed to Quality Care
Describes Evergreen Medical Center's (EMC) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project, focused on care transitions and healthcare quality. EMC is a short-term acute care hospital located in Evergreen, Alabama. EMC focused on patient satisfaction, clinical documentation, preventing readmissions by improving care transitions, and quality reporting.
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Rural Hospital Closures: Number and Characteristics of Affected Hospitals and Contributing Factors
Examines rural hospital closures from 2013-2017, including their financial health, hospital characteristics, and the impact on healthcare access. Compares data to 2008-2012 closures and discusses the implications for federal healthcare policies. Addresses the role of Medicare rural hospital designations, new healthcare delivery and payment models, and other rural Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Identifies the number of rural hospitals that closed for each state.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Hospital Mergers and Public Accountability: Tennessee and Virginia Employ a Certificate of Public Advantage
Examines how state officials can use the certificate of public advantage (COPA) to supervise hospital mergers to benefit the public, particularly in rural areas where mergers may be sought to address financial challenges. Focuses on a case study where officials in Tennessee and Virginia developed COPAs in response to a proposed rural hospital merger affecting both their states. Addresses the role of the states, their processes, and policy implications for other states.
Author(s): Erin C. Fuse Brown
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Tallahatchie General Hospital: 5-Star HCAHPs Facility
Describes Tallahatchie General Hospital's (TGH) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project focused on care transitions and healthcare quality. TGH is a Critical Access Hospital located in Charleston, Mississippi that also operates three Rural Health Clinics. TGH engaged all department heads in quality efforts and focused on communication, population health, and staff engagement.
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Rural Hospital Mergers from 2005 through 2016
Examines the number of mergers of rural hospitals across the U.S. from 2005-2016. Looks at the effect of mergers and acquisitions on rural healthcare.
Author(s): Dunc Williams Jr., Sharita R. Thomas, Hilda A. Howard, George H. Pink
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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A Model for Internal Medicine Physicians in a Small Rural Hospital
Describes a provider staffing model for rural hospitals that uses internal medicine physicians to provide inpatient care and to consult on outpatient care in Washington state. Describes the hospital setting, staffing needs, and lessons learned.
Author(s): Paul Bunge
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 18(3), 4419
Date: 08/2018
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