Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Long-term care
Trends in Nursing Home Closures in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties in the United States, 2008-2018
Policy brief documenting closures of facilities dually certified by Medicare and Medicaid or facilities certified by Medicaid only. Identifies areas lacking nursing homes and summarizes characteristics of open and closed nursing homes. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and county-level maps showing areas with one or more nursing home closures from 2008-2018 and counties considered nursing home deserts.
Author(s): Hari Sharma, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Fred Ullrich, A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Policy brief documenting closures of facilities dually certified by Medicare and Medicaid or facilities certified by Medicaid only. Identifies areas lacking nursing homes and summarizes characteristics of open and closed nursing homes. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and county-level maps showing areas with one or more nursing home closures from 2008-2018 and counties considered nursing home deserts.
Author(s): Hari Sharma, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Fred Ullrich, A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Care Transformation Toolkit
Provides an overview of common approaches and best practices Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) utilize to improve healthcare quality, lower healthcare costs, and enhance patient experiences. Describes ACO programs designed to use telehealth to expand access to care and improve efficiency, support high-risk beneficiaries through home visits, and provide timely access to skilled nursing care through Medicare waivers. Discusses lessons learned, options available to ACOs, and possible implementation challenges.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Provides an overview of common approaches and best practices Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) utilize to improve healthcare quality, lower healthcare costs, and enhance patient experiences. Describes ACO programs designed to use telehealth to expand access to care and improve efficiency, support high-risk beneficiaries through home visits, and provide timely access to skilled nursing care through Medicare waivers. Discusses lessons learned, options available to ACOs, and possible implementation challenges.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Medicare Severe Wound Care: Spending Declines May Reflect Site of Care Changes; Limited Information Is Available on Quality
Reports on an analysis of where Medicare beneficiaries received care for severe wounds in 2018 and Medicare payment for these services. Provides an overview of the implementation of a dual payment system for long-term care hospitals in 2016, and examines how the dual payment system affected the availability and quality of severe wound care for Medicare beneficiaries. Includes data on severe wound care by facility type in addition to Medicare spending by urban and rural location.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reports on an analysis of where Medicare beneficiaries received care for severe wounds in 2018 and Medicare payment for these services. Provides an overview of the implementation of a dual payment system for long-term care hospitals in 2016, and examines how the dual payment system affected the availability and quality of severe wound care for Medicare beneficiaries. Includes data on severe wound care by facility type in addition to Medicare spending by urban and rural location.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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A Demonstration Project: Assessing the Significance and Impact of Utilizing a Novel Telemedicine Application in the Delivery of Community Based Palliative Care in a Rural Seriously Ill Population
Describes a project that evaluated the integration of virtual pharmacy into a palliative care telehealth model in rural western North Carolina. Addresses the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of using a virtual pharmacist, the common drug-drug interactions in that setting, recommendations from a virtual pharmacist related to medication management, and patient-reported outcomes.
Author(s): Janet H. Bull
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Describes a project that evaluated the integration of virtual pharmacy into a palliative care telehealth model in rural western North Carolina. Addresses the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of using a virtual pharmacist, the common drug-drug interactions in that setting, recommendations from a virtual pharmacist related to medication management, and patient-reported outcomes.
Author(s): Janet H. Bull
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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2021 Long-Term Support Services Telehealth Results Summary
Presents findings of a review of telehealth needs and challenges among long-term services and supports (LTSS) staff in Hawaii based on telephone interviews. Offers policy recommendations to support LTSS providers and family caregivers and highlights provider experiences before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Discusses use of telehealth technology, barriers to using telehealth, and desired support among nursing homes, care homes, home health agents, hospice providers, family caregivers, and rehabilitation service providers.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center
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Presents findings of a review of telehealth needs and challenges among long-term services and supports (LTSS) staff in Hawaii based on telephone interviews. Offers policy recommendations to support LTSS providers and family caregivers and highlights provider experiences before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Discusses use of telehealth technology, barriers to using telehealth, and desired support among nursing homes, care homes, home health agents, hospice providers, family caregivers, and rehabilitation service providers.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center
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Strengthening the Entry-Level Health Care Workforce: Finding a Path
Examines gaps in the existing healthcare workforce, challenges facing entry-level healthcare workers (EHCW), current EHCW training programs and contexts where training programs are used effectively, and strategies and policy opportunities to strengthen the EHCW. Includes rural references throughout and case studies for programs in rural Alaska and Washington. Provides an interactive inventory of existing policies and programs that support EHCW training, recruitment, and retention.
Additional links: Entry-Level Health Care Workforce: Information and Programs Visualization Tool
Author(s): Shira H. Fischer, Ryan K. McBain, Laura J. Faherty, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Examines gaps in the existing healthcare workforce, challenges facing entry-level healthcare workers (EHCW), current EHCW training programs and contexts where training programs are used effectively, and strategies and policy opportunities to strengthen the EHCW. Includes rural references throughout and case studies for programs in rural Alaska and Washington. Provides an interactive inventory of existing policies and programs that support EHCW training, recruitment, and retention.
Additional links: Entry-Level Health Care Workforce: Information and Programs Visualization Tool
Author(s): Shira H. Fischer, Ryan K. McBain, Laura J. Faherty, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Characteristics of Residential Care Communities by Percentage of Resident Population Diagnosed With Dementia: United States, 2016
Examines characteristics of residential care communities and their residents by the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Includes dementia prevalence data for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Manisha Sengupta, Christine Caffrey
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examines characteristics of residential care communities and their residents by the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Includes dementia prevalence data for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Manisha Sengupta, Christine Caffrey
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Multiple COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to a Wedding Reception in Rural Maine — August 7–September 14, 2020
Reports on a COVID-19 outbreak that began at a rural Maine wedding reception and spread in the local community and to a long-term care facility and a correctional facility in other counties. Discusses the impact of noncompliance with CDC's recommended mitigation measures.
Author(s): Parag Mahale, Craig Rothfuss, Sarah Bly, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(45), 1686-1690
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on a COVID-19 outbreak that began at a rural Maine wedding reception and spread in the local community and to a long-term care facility and a correctional facility in other counties. Discusses the impact of noncompliance with CDC's recommended mitigation measures.
Author(s): Parag Mahale, Craig Rothfuss, Sarah Bly, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(45), 1686-1690
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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A Comparison of Rural and Urban Specialty Hospitals
Results of a study examining differences in long-term acute care hospitals, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities in urban and rural areas. Features statistics on ownership type, location, number of beds, percent of inpatient days for rural residents, percent of inpatient days for Medicare beneficiaries, operating expenses, percent of Medicaid days, and profitability.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Andrew Osgood, Pranathi Sana
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Results of a study examining differences in long-term acute care hospitals, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities in urban and rural areas. Features statistics on ownership type, location, number of beds, percent of inpatient days for rural residents, percent of inpatient days for Medicare beneficiaries, operating expenses, percent of Medicaid days, and profitability.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Andrew Osgood, Pranathi Sana
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness
Resources for rural healthcare systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge. Includes resources for emergency medical services, inpatient and hospital care, ambulatory care, and long-term care settings. Addresses a wide range of topics including healthcare operations, space, supplies, funding, and more.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group
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Resources for rural healthcare systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge. Includes resources for emergency medical services, inpatient and hospital care, ambulatory care, and long-term care settings. Addresses a wide range of topics including healthcare operations, space, supplies, funding, and more.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group
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