Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Service delivery models
How Primary Care Medics Can Bring Needed Health Care to Rural Americans
Describes Penn State College of Medicine's Primary Care Medic Project, a certificate-based pathway under development that will train local individuals to deliver primary and preventive care under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Discusses how primary care medics will fill gaps between community-based outreach and licensed primary care providers. Compares the scope of practice of primary care medics with those of community health workers, paramedics, and registered nurses, among others.
Author(s): Mark B. Stephens, Robin W. Weinick
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Describes Penn State College of Medicine's Primary Care Medic Project, a certificate-based pathway under development that will train local individuals to deliver primary and preventive care under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Discusses how primary care medics will fill gaps between community-based outreach and licensed primary care providers. Compares the scope of practice of primary care medics with those of community health workers, paramedics, and registered nurses, among others.
Author(s): Mark B. Stephens, Robin W. Weinick
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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State Innovations in Improving Access to Care for Adults with Complex Needs in Rural Communities
Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2026
Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and Medicare and operating margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and Medicare and operating margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluation of the ACO REACH Model: Evaluation Report 3
Presents key findings from an evaluation of the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) REACH Model's first performance year, as well as the two years of the preceding Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model. Examines model participants' implementation experiences and the model's impact on cost, utilization, and quality outcomes. Includes information on the participation of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in the model.
Additional links: Appendices, CMS Perspective Report, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Presents key findings from an evaluation of the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) REACH Model's first performance year, as well as the two years of the preceding Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model. Examines model participants' implementation experiences and the model's impact on cost, utilization, and quality outcomes. Includes information on the participation of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in the model.
Additional links: Appendices, CMS Perspective Report, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Virtual Roads to Real Recovery, with Amanda Kennedy
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Amanda Kennedy, manager of the Mercy Virtual Substance Use Recovery Program. Focuses on strategies the program uses to build trust and provide patients a seamless bridge into substance use treatment. Part 2 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Mercy vSURP's work winning third place.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Amanda Kennedy, manager of the Mercy Virtual Substance Use Recovery Program. Focuses on strategies the program uses to build trust and provide patients a seamless bridge into substance use treatment. Part 2 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Mercy vSURP's work winning third place.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Strengthening Rural Health Centers: Challenges, Innovations, and Opportunities
Provides an overview of how health centers serve rural residents. Describes workforce and geographic challenges rural health centers face. Includes data on states where rural health centers serve over half of all health center patients in the state. Discusses areas for key investments to strengthen the ability of health centers to serve their patients and communities.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides an overview of how health centers serve rural residents. Describes workforce and geographic challenges rural health centers face. Includes data on states where rural health centers serve over half of all health center patients in the state. Discusses areas for key investments to strengthen the ability of health centers to serve their patients and communities.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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The Florida Strategic Plan for Broadband: Broadband Strategies for a Connected Economy
Establishes strategies and metrics designed to help the Florida Department of Commerce Office of Broadband close the digital divide, and outlines connectivity goals for Florida. Includes information on broadband's impact on health and health services in Florida, and mentions rural throughout.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: FloridaCommerce
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Establishes strategies and metrics designed to help the Florida Department of Commerce Office of Broadband close the digital divide, and outlines connectivity goals for Florida. Includes information on broadband's impact on health and health services in Florida, and mentions rural throughout.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: FloridaCommerce
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Keeping Patients with Confidence: Using Telehealth to Treat Patients in Rural Georgia
Interview with Dr. Matt Lyon, of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Discusses the Digital Care Network, linking specialists to rural primary care physicians and enabling more patients to stay in local hospitals. Includes discussion of the ways in which the platform was used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): John Hick
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE)
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Interview with Dr. Matt Lyon, of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Discusses the Digital Care Network, linking specialists to rural primary care physicians and enabling more patients to stay in local hospitals. Includes discussion of the ways in which the platform was used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): John Hick
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE)
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Rural Primary Care and Value Based Payment: Challenges and Opportunities
Slides from a June 5, 2026, presentation to the National Academy for State Health Policy's Rural Primary Care Learning Network. Discusses addressing challenges rural providers have related to value-based care.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, A. Clinton MacKinney
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Slides from a June 5, 2026, presentation to the National Academy for State Health Policy's Rural Primary Care Learning Network. Discusses addressing challenges rural providers have related to value-based care.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, A. Clinton MacKinney
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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The Need for Community-Based Multimodal Screening for Chronic Disease and Cancer in Rural Kansas
Discusses how the development of community-based, multimodal screening infrastructure can address the high prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases in rural Kansas by improving access to preventive services and effectively addressing clustered chronic health conditions.
Author(s): Jordan A. Neely, Jerah R. Schmidt, Elham S. Ziaei, et al.
Citation: International Journal of General Medicine, 19, 613943
Date: 06/2026
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Discusses how the development of community-based, multimodal screening infrastructure can address the high prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases in rural Kansas by improving access to preventive services and effectively addressing clustered chronic health conditions.
Author(s): Jordan A. Neely, Jerah R. Schmidt, Elham S. Ziaei, et al.
Citation: International Journal of General Medicine, 19, 613943
Date: 06/2026
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