Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care
MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2025
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 profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
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 profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Empowering Patients to Participate in Clinical Trials
Discusses the importance of clinical trials as well as the barriers that impact participant enrollment and retention. Provides strategies and policy suggestions to improve participation in clinical trials for various populations, including those in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Agata Bodie
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Discusses the importance of clinical trials as well as the barriers that impact participant enrollment and retention. Provides strategies and policy suggestions to improve participation in clinical trials for various populations, including those in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Agata Bodie
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Beneficiary and Clinician Perspectives on Medicare and Other Issues: Findings from 2025 Focus Groups in St. Louis, Missouri, and 2021–2025 Rural Focus Groups
Summarizes findings from 8 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between April and May 2025, including one virtual focus group of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Compiles findings from 13 focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries between 2021 and 2025. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
view details
Summarizes findings from 8 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between April and May 2025, including one virtual focus group of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Compiles findings from 13 focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries between 2021 and 2025. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
view details
Rural Health Disparities and Differences in Definitions of Rurality
Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, NORC at the University of Chicago
view details
Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, NORC at the University of Chicago
view details
A Perinatal Psychiatry Access Program to Address Rural and Medically Underserved Populations Using Telemedicine
Examines the Moms IMPACTT (Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring) program in South Carolina, which aims to address perinatal mental health and substance use issues through healthcare partnerships and telemedicine. Provides details and impact of the program, including outreach and engagement with rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Courtney King, Marie Hayes, Lizmarie Maldonado, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 30
Date: 01/2025
view details
Examines the Moms IMPACTT (Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring) program in South Carolina, which aims to address perinatal mental health and substance use issues through healthcare partnerships and telemedicine. Provides details and impact of the program, including outreach and engagement with rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Courtney King, Marie Hayes, Lizmarie Maldonado, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 30
Date: 01/2025
view details
Understanding the Impact and Costs Associated with Medical Device Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Providers, Health Systems, Patients, and Manufacturers
Analyzes the U.S. medical device shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a related literature review, key stakeholder interviews, and data synthesis. Includes information on type of medical device shortages, strategies to manage shortages, and more, with a focus on shortages in nursing homes and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Thai, Trinidad Beleche, Oluwarantimi Adetunji
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Analyzes the U.S. medical device shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a related literature review, key stakeholder interviews, and data synthesis. Includes information on type of medical device shortages, strategies to manage shortages, and more, with a focus on shortages in nursing homes and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Thai, Trinidad Beleche, Oluwarantimi Adetunji
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Behavioral Health Diagnosis, Service Utilization, and Spending Among Older Adult Medicare Beneficiaries: A Chartbook
Examines the prevalence of behavioral health (BH) conditions among older adults. Utilizes 2017-2019 Medicare claims and administrative data to examine BH diagnoses, BH service utilization, cost of services, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to diagnosis, substance use, rates of diagnoses and service utilization, service type, rurality, and additional demographic factors.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Examines the prevalence of behavioral health (BH) conditions among older adults. Utilizes 2017-2019 Medicare claims and administrative data to examine BH diagnoses, BH service utilization, cost of services, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to diagnosis, substance use, rates of diagnoses and service utilization, service type, rurality, and additional demographic factors.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Financial Stress Associated with Oncology Clinical Trial Participation
Examines accessibility issues and financial stress of 112 patients participating in an oncology clinical trial between 2018 and 2024. Includes demographic information, cancer type, miles traveled, and financial burden of participants, as well as commentary on access issues for those in rural areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Trinidad Beleche
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Examines accessibility issues and financial stress of 112 patients participating in an oncology clinical trial between 2018 and 2024. Includes demographic information, cancer type, miles traveled, and financial burden of participants, as well as commentary on access issues for those in rural areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Trinidad Beleche
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Target Door-to-Needle Time in Acute Stroke Treatment via Telemedicine Versus In-Person Evaluation in a Rural Setting of the Midwest: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines door-to-needle time (DTN) among 239 patients who received thrombolytic treatment within a rural, Midwestern stroke network. Compares telemedicine and in-person treatment delivery, with data on patient safety, short-term outcomes, and DTN by provider type.
Author(s): Andrea Loggini, Jonatan Hornik, Jessie Henson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 34(1), 108141
Date: 01/2025
view details
Examines door-to-needle time (DTN) among 239 patients who received thrombolytic treatment within a rural, Midwestern stroke network. Compares telemedicine and in-person treatment delivery, with data on patient safety, short-term outcomes, and DTN by provider type.
Author(s): Andrea Loggini, Jonatan Hornik, Jessie Henson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 34(1), 108141
Date: 01/2025
view details
Tennessee Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net: 2024 Annual Report
Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2024. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2024. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details