Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Building on the History of the State Offices of Rural Health: Celebrating 25 Years of Service
Provides an overview of the history of the State Offices of Rural Health program and National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health. Highlights the work of the SORHs in Minnesota, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2016
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of the history of the State Offices of Rural Health program and National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health. Highlights the work of the SORHs in Minnesota, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2016
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Health Insurance CO-OPs: Product Availability and Premiums in Rural Counties
Describes the role of CO-OPs, their regional distribution, and national prevalence in rural and urban counties. Compares the number of products available in counties with and without CO-OP plans in 2014 and 2015.
Author(s): Erika C. Ziller, Zachariah Croll, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the role of CO-OPs, their regional distribution, and national prevalence in rural and urban counties. Compares the number of products available in counties with and without CO-OP plans in 2014 and 2015.
Author(s): Erika C. Ziller, Zachariah Croll, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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The Impact of the Low Volume Hospital (LVH) Program on the Viability of Small, Rural Hospitals
Compares rural low volume hospitals (LVH) with non-LVH (Inpatient Prospective Payment System) hospitals. Discusses the financial impact of removing the LVH program and returning to the 2005 LVH classification and payment adjustment, and the effect this will have on Medicare beneficiaries.
Author(s): Rebecca G. Whitaker, G. Mark Holmes, George H. Pink
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Compares rural low volume hospitals (LVH) with non-LVH (Inpatient Prospective Payment System) hospitals. Discusses the financial impact of removing the LVH program and returning to the 2005 LVH classification and payment adjustment, and the effect this will have on Medicare beneficiaries.
Author(s): Rebecca G. Whitaker, G. Mark Holmes, George H. Pink
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Hospital Participation and Performance in Value-Based Purchasing and Other Delivery System Reform Initiatives
Reports on the participation of delivery system reform initiatives by rural hospitals, and discusses the supporting factors and challenges for successful participation. Includes data comparing rural and urban Hospital Value-Based Payment (HVBP) performance.
Author(s): Karen E. Joynt, Nguyen Nguyen, Lok Wong Samson, et al.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Reports on the participation of delivery system reform initiatives by rural hospitals, and discusses the supporting factors and challenges for successful participation. Includes data comparing rural and urban Hospital Value-Based Payment (HVBP) performance.
Author(s): Karen E. Joynt, Nguyen Nguyen, Lok Wong Samson, et al.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Rural Strategies That Work: Lifting up Federal Policies That Are Responsive to the Assets and Challenges of Rural America
Memorandum to the Obama-era White House Rural Council member agencies outlining strategies for the design and delivery of programs in rural America to meet the contemporary challenges of the nation and the unique challenges faced by rural communities. Discusses how policies can address the issues of geographic isolation (including travel to healthcare), limited financial resources, low population density, and poverty.
Author(s): Tom Vilsack, Shaun Donovan, Cecilia Muñoz, Jeffrey Zients
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: White House Rural Council (Obama Administration)
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Memorandum to the Obama-era White House Rural Council member agencies outlining strategies for the design and delivery of programs in rural America to meet the contemporary challenges of the nation and the unique challenges faced by rural communities. Discusses how policies can address the issues of geographic isolation (including travel to healthcare), limited financial resources, low population density, and poverty.
Author(s): Tom Vilsack, Shaun Donovan, Cecilia Muñoz, Jeffrey Zients
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: White House Rural Council (Obama Administration)
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Indian Health Service Hospitals: More Monitoring Needed to Ensure Quality Care
Explores concerns about inadequate healthcare quality provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Makes recommendations for implementing several oversight measures and identifies problem areas that will need to be addressed in order to improve healthcare quality in IHS hospitals. See companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: Longstanding Challenges Warrant Focused Attention to Support Quality Care. Focuses on challenges related to quality reporting, Area Office vacancies, and health information technology.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Explores concerns about inadequate healthcare quality provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Makes recommendations for implementing several oversight measures and identifies problem areas that will need to be addressed in order to improve healthcare quality in IHS hospitals. See companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: Longstanding Challenges Warrant Focused Attention to Support Quality Care. Focuses on challenges related to quality reporting, Area Office vacancies, and health information technology.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Indian Health Service Hospitals: Longstanding Challenges Warrant Focused Attention to Support Quality Care
Study completed in response to concerns over inadequate quality of care being provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Included in the report are findings from a series of leadership and staff interviews, questionnaires, and document reviews. Recommendations for improving quality of care are made to IHS and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Additional recommendations for improving quality through oversight measures can be found in the companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: More Monitoring Needed to Ensure Quality Care Addresses healthcare access difficulties, health workforce challenges, and more.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Study completed in response to concerns over inadequate quality of care being provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Included in the report are findings from a series of leadership and staff interviews, questionnaires, and document reviews. Recommendations for improving quality of care are made to IHS and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Additional recommendations for improving quality through oversight measures can be found in the companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: More Monitoring Needed to Ensure Quality Care Addresses healthcare access difficulties, health workforce challenges, and more.
Date: 10/2016
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Oklahoma Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan 2017-2021
Provides a needs assessment and plan to address HIV prevention and care as required by the Ryan White Treatment and Modernization Act. Examines incidence for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS by demographic group and county. Discusses the HIV care continuum, along with challenges for rural access to care, and efforts to provide care.
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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Provides a needs assessment and plan to address HIV prevention and care as required by the Ryan White Treatment and Modernization Act. Examines incidence for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS by demographic group and county. Discusses the HIV care continuum, along with challenges for rural access to care, and efforts to provide care.
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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States Expand the Use of Dental Therapy: Access to Care Increases When Dentists Are Authorized to Hire Midlevel Providers
Presents a state-by-state guide to dental therapist legislation and policies. Summarizes the dental therapist model and details policy updates regularly.
Author(s): Jane Koppelman
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: Pew
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Presents a state-by-state guide to dental therapist legislation and policies. Summarizes the dental therapist model and details policy updates regularly.
Author(s): Jane Koppelman
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: Pew
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National Health Service Corps - An Extended Analysis: Final Report
Examines the distribution and retention of National Health Service Corps providers with a focus on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Indian Health Service (IHS) sites. Compares long and short-term retention of NHSC and non-NHSC providers for 2000-2015 and NHSC participant location after completing their service requirements. Includes data breakdowns by type of HPSA (primary care, dental health, mental health), type of provider, race/ethnicity, and gender.
Author(s): Sebastian Negrusa, Paul Hogan, Projesh Ghosh, Lachlan Watkins
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the distribution and retention of National Health Service Corps providers with a focus on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Indian Health Service (IHS) sites. Compares long and short-term retention of NHSC and non-NHSC providers for 2000-2015 and NHSC participant location after completing their service requirements. Includes data breakdowns by type of HPSA (primary care, dental health, mental health), type of provider, race/ethnicity, and gender.
Author(s): Sebastian Negrusa, Paul Hogan, Projesh Ghosh, Lachlan Watkins
Date: 09/2016
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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