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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Inpatient care

Changes in Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April-September 2020), 13 States
Presents data from 13 states on the number of all-cause hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths between April–September 2020 and compares this data to statistics from the same quarter in 2016-2019. Presents data by patient characteristics, including urban or rural status. Includes data on the percent of hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 in 2020.
Author(s): Lawrence D. Reid, Zhengyi Fang
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Higher Electronic Health Record (EHR) Functionality Lowers Urban Hospital Costs but Rural Impacts Are Minimal
Examines the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) functionality and hospital costs. Compares the effect of increasing EHR functionality in urban and rural hospitals and by inpatient and outpatient service categories.
Author(s): Claudia Alejandra Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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COVID-19: HHS's Collection of Hospital Capacity Data
Examines the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implementation of the HHS Project, which was launched in April 2020 to collect national and state-level hospital capacity data. Discusses reporting requirements and challenges, use of the data collected, and lessons learned regarding the collection of hospital capacity data during a public health emergency.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Diabetes-Related Inpatient Stays, 2018
Brief examining nonmaternal inpatient stays related to type 1 and type 2 diabetes based on 2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data. Presents distribution of inpatient stays by age, gender, insurance status, income, race and ethnicity, and metro and rural location.
Author(s): Kathryn R. Fingar, Lawrence D. Reid
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project
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Most Frequent Principal Diagnoses for Inpatient Stays in U.S. Hospitals, 2018
Presents data on the most frequent principal diagnoses among nonmaternal, nonneonatal inpatient hospital stays. Uses the 2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to describe the number of stays, mean cost per stay, and aggregate costs. Examines the distribution of stays for the most common diagnoses by patient and hospital characteristics, including rurality.
Author(s): Kimberly W. McDermott, Marc Roemer
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient PPS and the Long-term Care Hospital PPS for FY 2022
Comments on a May 10, 2021, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Discusses proposals on rate-setting in both the hospital and LTCH prospective payment systems, the use of "market-based" data to set Medicare severity–diagnosis related group (MS–DRG) relative weights, and changes to rural reclassification cancellation requirements for hospitals.
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations in 13 States, by Patient Location, 2020
Presents data on COVID-19-related hospitalizations in 13 states from April to September 2020. Examines the differences in monthly hospitalizations by the metropolitan status of the patient location. Includes statistics on the average length of stay for COVID-19-related hospitalizations on in-hospital mortality. Compares this data with hospitalization data from the same states during April-September 2019.
Author(s): Pamela L. Owens
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Rural Disparities in End-of-life Care for Patients with Heart Failure: Are They Due to Geography or Socioeconomic Disparity?
Examines the relationship of rurality, socioeconomic background, and end-of-life care for patients with heart failure in Maine. Includes data on healthcare utilization at end-of-life by age, sex, rurality, insurance type, and area deprivation index.
Author(s): Rebecca N. Hutchinson, Paul K. J. Han, F. Lee Lucas, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2021
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation. Contains information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicare beneficiary healthcare access, mortality, and service use. Presents an option for Medicare's coverage of telehealth beyond the public health emergency.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Health Care Utilization and Outcomes Associated with Accidental Poisonous Mushroom Ingestions — United States, 2016–2018
Examines emergency department visits and hospitalizations associated with accidental poisonous mushroom ingestion. Includes data on ED visits in 2016 by location of patient residence for metropolitan areas and for micropolitan and noncore (rural) areas.
Author(s): Jeremy A.W. Gold, Emily Kiernan, Michael Yeh, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(10), 337-341
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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