Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Service delivery models
National Association of Rural Health Clinics 2026 Policy Survey Report
Summarizes results of a 2026 national survey of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the average payer mix, telehealth use and management trends, Medicare Advantage (MA) contracts and reimbursement rates compared to traditional Medicare rates, value-based care participation, challenges, and more.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Summarizes results of a 2026 national survey of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the average payer mix, telehealth use and management trends, Medicare Advantage (MA) contracts and reimbursement rates compared to traditional Medicare rates, value-based care participation, challenges, and more.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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2025 National CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment National Report
Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2025 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; CAH quality payment model participation; and CAH quality improvement topic priorities.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Robert Barclay
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2025 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; CAH quality payment model participation; and CAH quality improvement topic priorities.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Robert Barclay
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Peer Recovery Supports for Behavioral Health in Rural Communities
Discusses behavioral health peer recovery support services in rural and agricultural communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for overcoming behavioral health barriers, such as addressing stigma, social isolation, and scarcity of services through community and peer supports.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses behavioral health peer recovery support services in rural and agricultural communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for overcoming behavioral health barriers, such as addressing stigma, social isolation, and scarcity of services through community and peer supports.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Strategies for Critical Access Hospital Financial and Operational Performance Improvement: A Systematic Review
Summarizes findings from a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature published since 2000 regarding financial and operational performance improvement interventions implemented by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals in the United States and in other developed countries. Identifies key intervention areas, including service line optimization, revenue and cost management, and technology adoption, among others. Describes how State Flex Programs and hospital administrators can use these findings to inform decision-making and resource allocation.
Author(s): Angelina Budko, Laura Bozovich McFadyen, Carrie Baldwin-SoRelle, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes findings from a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature published since 2000 regarding financial and operational performance improvement interventions implemented by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals in the United States and in other developed countries. Identifies key intervention areas, including service line optimization, revenue and cost management, and technology adoption, among others. Describes how State Flex Programs and hospital administrators can use these findings to inform decision-making and resource allocation.
Author(s): Angelina Budko, Laura Bozovich McFadyen, Carrie Baldwin-SoRelle, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Reported Receipt of Mental Health Services by Adolescents Aged 12 to 17 in the Rural and Urban U.S., 2021
Describes the mental health services received by adolescents in rural and urban counties nationwide in 2021. Presents data on the percentage of adolescents that received mental health services by rurality. Includes data on rural and urban adolescents' receipt of inpatient and outpatient mental health services across Census regions; services provided in specialty mental health settings; and services provided by a therapist or counselor, in a general medical setting, or via telehealth.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the mental health services received by adolescents in rural and urban counties nationwide in 2021. Presents data on the percentage of adolescents that received mental health services by rurality. Includes data on rural and urban adolescents' receipt of inpatient and outpatient mental health services across Census regions; services provided in specialty mental health settings; and services provided by a therapist or counselor, in a general medical setting, or via telehealth.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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A Chartbook on the Characteristics and Needs of Frontier Critical Access Hospitals
Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Acute Stroke Capabilities in California: Association with Rurality and Telestroke Access
Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
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Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
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Disparities in Lung Cancer Health Outcomes and Access to Lung Cancer Screening Between Rural and Urban Areas in the U.S
Narrative review examining rural and urban differences in lung cancer health outcomes, screening access, and other contextual factors influencing lung cancer disparities. Provides recommendations for effective lung cancer treatment and policy development supporting rural health.
Author(s): Aishani Gargapati, James Fox, Erminia Massarelli
Citation: Cancers, 18(5), 864
Date: 03/2026
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Narrative review examining rural and urban differences in lung cancer health outcomes, screening access, and other contextual factors influencing lung cancer disparities. Provides recommendations for effective lung cancer treatment and policy development supporting rural health.
Author(s): Aishani Gargapati, James Fox, Erminia Massarelli
Citation: Cancers, 18(5), 864
Date: 03/2026
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Promoting Access to Chronic Illness Management and Nursing Education in a Rural Illinois Nurse-Led Mobile Health Unit
Examines the impact of nurse-led mobile health units (MHUs) to provide point-of-care (POC) screening and management of chronic disease in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Discusses MHU clinical experiences in nursing programs and expanding access to POC healthcare in rural areas.
Author(s): Carol Sieck, Kelly D. Rosenberger, Summer Roeschley-Park, Carolyn Dickens
Citation: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 38(6), 393-397
Date: 03/2026
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Examines the impact of nurse-led mobile health units (MHUs) to provide point-of-care (POC) screening and management of chronic disease in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Discusses MHU clinical experiences in nursing programs and expanding access to POC healthcare in rural areas.
Author(s): Carol Sieck, Kelly D. Rosenberger, Summer Roeschley-Park, Carolyn Dickens
Citation: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 38(6), 393-397
Date: 03/2026
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Reaching Rural Veterans: Applying Mind-Body Skills for Pain Using a Whole Health Telehealth Intervention: The RAMP Pilot Study
Explores the efficacy of a pilot program which uses telehealth to provide non-pharmacological pain management to rural veterans. Evaluates the amount of pre-specified milestones for recruitment and enrollment, patient satisfaction, and data collection, among other measures, met by the pilot program.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Roni Evans, Brent D. Leininger, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials, 162, 108254
Date: 03/2026
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Explores the efficacy of a pilot program which uses telehealth to provide non-pharmacological pain management to rural veterans. Evaluates the amount of pre-specified milestones for recruitment and enrollment, patient satisfaction, and data collection, among other measures, met by the pilot program.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Roni Evans, Brent D. Leininger, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials, 162, 108254
Date: 03/2026
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