Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the ESRD PPS Update for CY 2023
Comments on a June 28, 2022, Federal Register proposed rule related to Medicare payment policies for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Includes comments addressing the low-volume payment adjustment (LVPA) and the rural adjustment.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Workforce in Kentucky
Examines the distribution of speech language pathologists (SLPs) and audiologists (AUDs) across Kentucky. Explores unique challenges faced by rural communities in accessing hearing and speech specialists. Features statistics on numbers of SLPs and AUDs in Kentucky, with breakdowns by Appalachian, rural, urban, and Delta areas.
Author(s): Sydney P. Howard, Melissa Slone, Austin Huff, Frances Feltner
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
view details
The Association Between Primary Care Use and Potentially-Preventable Hospitalization Among Dual Eligibles Age 65 and Over
Examines the relationship between primary care and ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC) hospitalization among people age 65 and older who are dually-enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): N. Loren Oh, Andrew J. Potter, Lindsay M. Sabik, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22(927)
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
view details
Advancing Rural Health: Illinois Small and Rural Hospitals
Discusses the overall impact of the 86 small and rural hospitals in Illinois. Includes data on hospital utilization, patient demographics, economic impacts, associated community engagement and healthcare services, workforce and specialty care issues, and more. Provides county-level maps on obstetric services and location of small and rural hospitals.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Health and Hospital Association
view details
Staving Off One's Mortality: Rural Kidney Health and Its Disparities
Describes rural disparities around access to disease-stabilizing treatment for kidney disease and to renal replacement therapies. Features insights from providers serving rural patients, as well as a rural kidney transplant recipient sharing her experience.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Georgia Counties without Primary Care/Core Practitioners: Based on 2019-2020 Licensure Renewal Data and New Licensees
County-level Georgia maps showing counties without any physicians, and without physicians specializing in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, general surgery, psychiatry, and emergency medicine. Features statistics on numbers of these physicians with breakdowns by county.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
view details
Colorado Rural Sustainability Network Chronic Care Management, 2020–2021
Highlights the burden of chronic care management by rurality in Colorado. Looks at cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and heart attack management across the rural and urban spectrum.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
view details
Comparison of Cancer Treatment Services Across Hospitals
Compares the cancer treatment services available at urban hospitals, rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2017. Highlights the percentage of rural PPS and CAH hospitals that offered comprehensive oncology services in 2008 and 2017. Examines the odds of hospitals offering oncology services based on the distance to the nearest cancer hospital.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
Overcoming Disparities in Surgical Care among Native Americans
Discusses the disparity in access to oncologic surgical care for Native Americans. Details a pathway program at the Oregon Health & Science University aimed as increasing matriculation rates among Native Americans into medicals school.
Author(s): Thomas L. Sutton, Brett C. Sheppard
Citation: Bulletin of The American College of Surgeons
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
view details
Qualitative Analysis of Cancer Care Experiences among Rural Cancer Survivors and Caregivers
Examines cancer survivors and caregivers' perceptions toward cancer care in rural Nebraska. Discusses perceptions of community health status, sources of cancer information, cancer diagnosis, care coordination, provider communication and organizational support, and barriers to care, based on focus group data from 20 participants.
Author(s): Kendra L. Ratnapradipa, Jordan Ranta, Krishtee Napit, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(4), 876-885
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
view details