Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
The Future of Rural Behavioral Health
Policy paper discussing the unique challenges of providing behavioral healthcare services in rural areas. Includes policy recommendations and interventions related to workforce development, reimbursement and financing, integration of care, and the use of technology in delivering behavioral healthcare.
Author(s): Will Wilson, Angela Bangs, Tammy Hatting
Date: 02/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy paper discussing the unique challenges of providing behavioral healthcare services in rural areas. Includes policy recommendations and interventions related to workforce development, reimbursement and financing, integration of care, and the use of technology in delivering behavioral healthcare.
Author(s): Will Wilson, Angela Bangs, Tammy Hatting
Date: 02/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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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
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
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Family Medicine Graduate Proximity to Their Site of Training: Policy Options for Improving the Distribution of Primary Care Access
Assesses the geographic relationship between graduate practice location and family medicine graduate medical education training sites. Results show an uneven geographic distribution between urban and rural primary care physicians. Report also states that family physicians are more likely to work in rural areas.
Author(s): Ernest Blake Fagan, Claire Gibbons, Sean C. Finnegan, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 47(2), 124-130
Date: 02/2015
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Assesses the geographic relationship between graduate practice location and family medicine graduate medical education training sites. Results show an uneven geographic distribution between urban and rural primary care physicians. Report also states that family physicians are more likely to work in rural areas.
Author(s): Ernest Blake Fagan, Claire Gibbons, Sean C. Finnegan, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 47(2), 124-130
Date: 02/2015
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Testimony of the National Indian Health Board Oversight Hearing on Indian Country Priorities for the 114th Congress
Includes the testimony from the National Indian Health Board presented at a January 28th, 2015 Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing concerning the top Indian health priorities for the 114th Congress.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Indian Health Board
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Includes the testimony from the National Indian Health Board presented at a January 28th, 2015 Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing concerning the top Indian health priorities for the 114th Congress.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Indian Health Board
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Financially Fragile Rural Hospitals: Mergers and Closures
Highlights a national trend of financial stress on rural hospitals that have led to facility and service closures and mergers in recent years. Discusses the causes of the financial stress, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the lack of Medicaid expansion in some states, and operational challenges in transitioning to value-based care.
Author(s): Mark Holmes
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 76(1), 37-40
Date: 01/2015
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Highlights a national trend of financial stress on rural hospitals that have led to facility and service closures and mergers in recent years. Discusses the causes of the financial stress, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the lack of Medicaid expansion in some states, and operational challenges in transitioning to value-based care.
Author(s): Mark Holmes
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 76(1), 37-40
Date: 01/2015
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CPC Practice Spotlights
A collection of short features on primary care practices that participated in the CMS Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative, a multi-payer initiative that offered population-based care management fees and shared savings opportunities to participating practices. Includes examples of practices serving rural areas.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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A collection of short features on primary care practices that participated in the CMS Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative, a multi-payer initiative that offered population-based care management fees and shared savings opportunities to participating practices. Includes examples of practices serving rural areas.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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LSC Agricultural Worker Population Estimate Update
Identifies the population of agricultural workers and their dependents, and provides an estimate of the size and distribution of this population to be used as a basis for allocating resources supported by federal programs targeting farmworkers, including health and human services programs.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Legal Services Corporation
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Identifies the population of agricultural workers and their dependents, and provides an estimate of the size and distribution of this population to be used as a basis for allocating resources supported by federal programs targeting farmworkers, including health and human services programs.
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Legal Services Corporation
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International Classification of Disease: CMS's Efforts to Prepare for the New Version of the Disease and Procedure Codes
Review of the efforts undertaken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prepare for the transition to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. Evaluates the materials developed and activities undertaken by CMS to help providers' transition and describes concerns of stakeholder organizations, including rural-specific considerations.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Review of the efforts undertaken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prepare for the transition to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. Evaluates the materials developed and activities undertaken by CMS to help providers' transition and describes concerns of stakeholder organizations, including rural-specific considerations.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Tapping Nurse Practitioners to Meet Rising Demand for Primary Care
Discusses the use of advanced practice nurses, specifically nurse practitioners, to increase access to primary care for those residing in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Reports that nurse practitioners working in primary care are more likely than primary care physicians to work in rural areas. Suggests that the use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants could help reduce the primary care provider shortage in 2020 by two-thirds.
Author(s): Amanda Van Vleet, Julia Paradise
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Discusses the use of advanced practice nurses, specifically nurse practitioners, to increase access to primary care for those residing in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Reports that nurse practitioners working in primary care are more likely than primary care physicians to work in rural areas. Suggests that the use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants could help reduce the primary care provider shortage in 2020 by two-thirds.
Author(s): Amanda Van Vleet, Julia Paradise
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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The Need to Reform Medicare's Payments to Skilled Nursing Facilities Is as Strong as Ever
Compares payments made to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and costs over time to see if changes made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to the payment system have improved payment accuracy. Table 3 and Table 4 compare healthcare facility characteristics, including rural location.
Author(s): Carol Carter, Bowen Garrett, Doug Wissoker
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Urban Institute
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Compares payments made to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and costs over time to see if changes made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to the payment system have improved payment accuracy. Table 3 and Table 4 compare healthcare facility characteristics, including rural location.
Author(s): Carol Carter, Bowen Garrett, Doug Wissoker
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Urban Institute
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