Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
What to Know About Medicare Coverage of Telehealth
Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2024, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, fraud, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2024, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, fraud, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
State of Geographic Access to Cancer Treatment Trials in the United States: Are Studies Located Where Patients Live?
Examines disparities in geographic access to cancer clinical trials through an analysis of trial availability at the county level and drive time to reach available trials. Includes data on demographics and other characteristics of high and low access counties, including metropolitan-nonmetropolitan comparisons. Provides color-coded maps showing access at the county and state levels.
Author(s): M. Kelsey Kirkwood, Caroline Schenkel, Dominique C. Hinshaw, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice
Date: 10/2024
view details
Examines disparities in geographic access to cancer clinical trials through an analysis of trial availability at the county level and drive time to reach available trials. Includes data on demographics and other characteristics of high and low access counties, including metropolitan-nonmetropolitan comparisons. Provides color-coded maps showing access at the county and state levels.
Author(s): M. Kelsey Kirkwood, Caroline Schenkel, Dominique C. Hinshaw, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice
Date: 10/2024
view details
Younger and Rural Children are More Likely to be Hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 Infections
Examines patient characteristics and likelihood of hospitalization among children with SARS-CoV-2, utilizing May 2020-April 2022 Arkansas Children's Hospital data. Analyzes hospitalization rates during each wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with demographic data breakdowns, including comparisons between rural and urban children.
Author(s): Rebecca M. Cantu, Sara C. Sanders, Grace A. Turner, et al.
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(10), e0308221
Date: 10/2024
view details
Examines patient characteristics and likelihood of hospitalization among children with SARS-CoV-2, utilizing May 2020-April 2022 Arkansas Children's Hospital data. Analyzes hospitalization rates during each wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with demographic data breakdowns, including comparisons between rural and urban children.
Author(s): Rebecca M. Cantu, Sara C. Sanders, Grace A. Turner, et al.
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(10), e0308221
Date: 10/2024
view details
About 1 in 4 Households Experienced a Power Outage in the Span of a Year
Reports on power outages in homes over a 12 month period using the 2023 American Housing Survey. Includes a comparison of rural and urban homes and discusses healthcare-related challenges associated with power outages including operating electrical medical equipment and refrigerating medication.
Author(s): Patrick Madamba
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details
Reports on power outages in homes over a 12 month period using the 2023 American Housing Survey. Includes a comparison of rural and urban homes and discusses healthcare-related challenges associated with power outages including operating electrical medical equipment and refrigerating medication.
Author(s): Patrick Madamba
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details
Health Care Transparency: CMS Needs More Information on Hospital Pricing Data Completeness and Accuracy
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital price transparency requirements before and after 2024 updates to the requirements. Describes users' experiences with hospital pricing data before the 2024 updates. Examines CMS's enforcement of hospital price transparency requirements and offers recommendations to CMS regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the data reported. Table 3 compares CMS enforcement actions by hospitals' rural or urban designation between 2021 and 2023.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital price transparency requirements before and after 2024 updates to the requirements. Describes users' experiences with hospital pricing data before the 2024 updates. Examines CMS's enforcement of hospital price transparency requirements and offers recommendations to CMS regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the data reported. Table 3 compares CMS enforcement actions by hospitals' rural or urban designation between 2021 and 2023.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
One or Two Health Systems Controlled the Entire Market for Inpatient Hospital Care in Nearly Half of Metropolitan Areas in 2022
Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2022 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2022 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Associations between Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index Scores, Rurality, and Histoplasmosis Incidence, 8 US States
Examines association between histoplasmosis and race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and rurality, utilizing county-level Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI) data. Breaks down histoplasmosis infection rates by level of rurality, with additional data on rurality and infection for 8 MH SVI themes including socioeconomic status, minority status and language, healthcare infrastructure and access, and more. Discusses rural health access and health disparities.
Author(s): Dallas J. Smith, Malavika Rajeev, Kristina Boyd, et al.
Citation: Emerging Infectious Diseases, 30(10)
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Examines association between histoplasmosis and race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and rurality, utilizing county-level Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI) data. Breaks down histoplasmosis infection rates by level of rurality, with additional data on rurality and infection for 8 MH SVI themes including socioeconomic status, minority status and language, healthcare infrastructure and access, and more. Discusses rural health access and health disparities.
Author(s): Dallas J. Smith, Malavika Rajeev, Kristina Boyd, et al.
Citation: Emerging Infectious Diseases, 30(10)
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
South Carolina's Medical Schools by the Numbers, 2023
Data brief describing basic, comparative information about South Carolina's medical schools, using data from the schools, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathy. Features statistics including number of graduates practicing in rural areas.
Author(s): K. Gaul
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
view details
Data brief describing basic, comparative information about South Carolina's medical schools, using data from the schools, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathy. Features statistics including number of graduates practicing in rural areas.
Author(s): K. Gaul
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
view details
Trends of Available PGY-1 Residency Positions and Practicing Physicians in South Carolina, 2004-2023
Data brief describing how the numbers of medical school graduates and entry-level (PGY-1) positions in South Carolina have increased from 2004-2023. Features statistics on cumulative change in PGY-1 positions and physicians from 2009-2021 with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and a county-level map showing numbers and locations of South Carolina primary care residency programs, with shadings showing urban and rural counties.
Author(s): K. Gaul, A. Chastain-Brown, A. Lefebvre
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
view details
Data brief describing how the numbers of medical school graduates and entry-level (PGY-1) positions in South Carolina have increased from 2004-2023. Features statistics on cumulative change in PGY-1 positions and physicians from 2009-2021 with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and a county-level map showing numbers and locations of South Carolina primary care residency programs, with shadings showing urban and rural counties.
Author(s): K. Gaul, A. Chastain-Brown, A. Lefebvre
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
view details
The South Carolina Licensed Practical Nurse Workforce | 2022
Presents information on the licensed practical nurse (LPN) workforce in South Carolina, based on data reported by LPNs during their biennial license renewal period ending May 1, 2022. Features a county-level map showing locations of active LPNs with shadings showing urban or rural counties, and statistics for LPN practice settings in 2022, with breakdowns including rural health centers.
Author(s): Cate Campbell, K. Gaul
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
view details
Presents information on the licensed practical nurse (LPN) workforce in South Carolina, based on data reported by LPNs during their biennial license renewal period ending May 1, 2022. Features a county-level map showing locations of active LPNs with shadings showing urban or rural counties, and statistics for LPN practice settings in 2022, with breakdowns including rural health centers.
Author(s): Cate Campbell, K. Gaul
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
view details