Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Post-acute care
Interoperable Exchange of Patient Health Information Among U.S. Hospitals: 2023
Presents data on the degree to which hospitals engage in the four domains of interoperable exchange - send, receive, find, and integrate - as of 2023 and describes trends between 2018 and 2023. Analyzes the frequency that non-federal acute care hospitals engaged in interoperable exchange by hospital characteristics, including hospital size, system affiliation status, rural or urban location, and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation. Describes hospitals' ability to exchange electronic health information with other providers across the care continuum and how clinicians use this information about the point of care.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Catherine Strawley, Wesley Barker, Jordan Everson
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Presents data on the degree to which hospitals engage in the four domains of interoperable exchange - send, receive, find, and integrate - as of 2023 and describes trends between 2018 and 2023. Analyzes the frequency that non-federal acute care hospitals engaged in interoperable exchange by hospital characteristics, including hospital size, system affiliation status, rural or urban location, and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation. Describes hospitals' ability to exchange electronic health information with other providers across the care continuum and how clinicians use this information about the point of care.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Catherine Strawley, Wesley Barker, Jordan Everson
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Perspectives on Supporting Veterans' Social Needs During Hospital to Home Health Transitions: Findings from the Transitions Nurse Program
Examines the social needs of veterans who utilize post-acute home health care (HHC) by exploring the perspectives of clinicians, care partners, and the veterans themselves. Analyzes 35 interviews that took place at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Medical Centers and discusses social needs as related to HHC, social needs screening during hospitalization, delays in HHC, and communication between HHC and VHA. Includes social need examples specific to rural veterans.
Author(s): Marguerite Daus, Marcie Lee, Lexus L. Ujano-De Motta, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 520
Date: 04/2024
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Examines the social needs of veterans who utilize post-acute home health care (HHC) by exploring the perspectives of clinicians, care partners, and the veterans themselves. Analyzes 35 interviews that took place at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Medical Centers and discusses social needs as related to HHC, social needs screening during hospitalization, delays in HHC, and communication between HHC and VHA. Includes social need examples specific to rural veterans.
Author(s): Marguerite Daus, Marcie Lee, Lexus L. Ujano-De Motta, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 520
Date: 04/2024
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Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Final Rule (CMS 3442-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule for minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Details three core staffing proposals: 1) minimum nurse staffing standards; 2) a requirement to have an RN onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and 3) enhanced facility assessment requirements. Outlines a staggered implementation approach, including a later implementation date for rural facilities, and hardship exemption qualification requirements. Also describes Medicaid payment transparency reporting provisions for nursing and intermediate care facilities related to the percentage of Medicaid funds spent on compensation to direct care workers and support staff.
Additional links: External FAQs
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule for minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Details three core staffing proposals: 1) minimum nurse staffing standards; 2) a requirement to have an RN onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and 3) enhanced facility assessment requirements. Outlines a staggered implementation approach, including a later implementation date for rural facilities, and hardship exemption qualification requirements. Also describes Medicaid payment transparency reporting provisions for nursing and intermediate care facilities related to the percentage of Medicaid funds spent on compensation to direct care workers and support staff.
Additional links: External FAQs
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Directory of Mississippi Health Facilities
Directory of Mississippi health facilities with address, phone number, and accreditation status if applicable, current as of May 5, 2025. Includes a list of rural health facilities on pages 87-99.
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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Directory of Mississippi health facilities with address, phone number, and accreditation status if applicable, current as of May 5, 2025. Includes a list of rural health facilities on pages 87-99.
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2024
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 Medicare fee-for-service payment systems, Medicare Advantage (MA), and Medicare Part D. Includes two mandated reports on special needs plans for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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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 Medicare fee-for-service payment systems, Medicare Advantage (MA), and Medicare Part D. Includes two mandated reports on special needs plans for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Rural Health Research Recap: Post-Acute Care in Rural Areas: The Role of Swing Beds and Nursing Homes
Offers statistics on availability of post-acute care in rural areas through skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospice, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and swing beds. Includes sections on prospective payment system and cost-based reimbursement, and provides statistics on the proportion of nursing home closures in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas from 2008-2018.
Author(s): Per Ostmo
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Offers statistics on availability of post-acute care in rural areas through skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospice, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and swing beds. Includes sections on prospective payment system and cost-based reimbursement, and provides statistics on the proportion of nursing home closures in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas from 2008-2018.
Author(s): Per Ostmo
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review Measures Under Consideration: 2023 Recommendations Report
Reviews the 42 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2023-2024 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Reviews the 42 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2023-2024 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Research Institute for Home Care Chartbook 2024
Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Implementation of Acute Care Services and Long-Term Services and Supports System Redesign for Individuals with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability
Report on 2022 initiatives related to acute care and long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) in Texas. Includes both assessment of implementation and recommendations to the state legislature for improvements. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Report on 2022 initiatives related to acute care and long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) in Texas. Includes both assessment of implementation and recommendations to the state legislature for improvements. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Quality Time: Sharing PIE – Improving Swing Bed Quality
Podcast episode discussing how two Critical Access Hospital (CAH) quality improvement leaders in Mississippi and Nevada used proactive approaches to improve their swing bed programs. Describes efforts in reducing healthcare-associated infections with pneumonia and improving the documentation and coordination of swing bed patients.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Podcast episode discussing how two Critical Access Hospital (CAH) quality improvement leaders in Mississippi and Nevada used proactive approaches to improve their swing bed programs. Describes efforts in reducing healthcare-associated infections with pneumonia and improving the documentation and coordination of swing bed patients.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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