Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care
Provider-to-Provider Telemedicine for Sepsis Is Used Less Frequently in Communities with High Social Vulnerability
Examines the relationship between provider-to-provider emergency department-based telehealth consultation (tele-ED) and the prevalence of sepsis in counties with elevated social vulnerability index (SVI) scores. Analyzes 2016-2019 data from 1191 patients treated in rural, Midwestern EDs, with breakdowns according to patient, provider, hospital, and county characteristics. Discusses the relationship between SVI scores and tele-ED use.
Author(s): Kevin J. Tu, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E. Okoro, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12861
Date: 2025
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Examines the relationship between provider-to-provider emergency department-based telehealth consultation (tele-ED) and the prevalence of sepsis in counties with elevated social vulnerability index (SVI) scores. Analyzes 2016-2019 data from 1191 patients treated in rural, Midwestern EDs, with breakdowns according to patient, provider, hospital, and county characteristics. Discusses the relationship between SVI scores and tele-ED use.
Author(s): Kevin J. Tu, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E. Okoro, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12861
Date: 2025
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The Implementation Climate for Integrating Buprenorphine Prescribing into Rural Primary Care
Examines the climate in rural primary care settings to expand buprenorphine access for opioid use disorder (OUD). Analyzes interview feedback from primary care practitioners in rural Ohio regarding issues such as OUD treatment prioritization, compatibility of buprenorphine prescriptions in primary care settings, and buprenorphine access shortages.
Author(s): Cheyenne Fenstemaker, Elizabeth A. Abrams, Katherine King, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 40, 2879-2889
Date: 12/2024
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Examines the climate in rural primary care settings to expand buprenorphine access for opioid use disorder (OUD). Analyzes interview feedback from primary care practitioners in rural Ohio regarding issues such as OUD treatment prioritization, compatibility of buprenorphine prescriptions in primary care settings, and buprenorphine access shortages.
Author(s): Cheyenne Fenstemaker, Elizabeth A. Abrams, Katherine King, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 40, 2879-2889
Date: 12/2024
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Closing the Distance: A Qualitative Study to Identify Equitable Innovations for Rural Thyroid Cancer Treatment
Examines differences in thyroid cancer care between rural and urban communities. Utilizes interview feedback from rural surgeons from various states that cover issues such as training, access to medical specialties, telemedicine opportunities, and collaboration with colleagues.
Author(s): Hattie H. Huston-Paterson, Yifan V. Mao, Elena G. Hughes, et al.
Citation: The American Surgeon, 91(4)
Date: 12/2024
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Examines differences in thyroid cancer care between rural and urban communities. Utilizes interview feedback from rural surgeons from various states that cover issues such as training, access to medical specialties, telemedicine opportunities, and collaboration with colleagues.
Author(s): Hattie H. Huston-Paterson, Yifan V. Mao, Elena G. Hughes, et al.
Citation: The American Surgeon, 91(4)
Date: 12/2024
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Behavioral Health Service Use among Individuals Enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP Before and During The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Examines behavioral health (BH) service usage changes among Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Compares BH service initiation and treatment before the PHE (2018-2019) and during the PHE (2019-2020), with further data breakdowns by enrollee BH condition and demographic variables, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines behavioral health (BH) service usage changes among Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Compares BH service initiation and treatment before the PHE (2018-2019) and during the PHE (2019-2020), with further data breakdowns by enrollee BH condition and demographic variables, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Report to the 2025 Legislature: Annual Report on Findings from the Hawai'i Physician Workforce Assessment Project
Reports on Hawaii physician workforce characteristics and shortages by county and specialty. Summarizes activities to support the physician workforce, including recruitment, rural training, and mentoring programming. Offers data on shortages by specialty and by county, as well as physician supply and demand data.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii and Pacific Basin Area Health Education Centers
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Reports on Hawaii physician workforce characteristics and shortages by county and specialty. Summarizes activities to support the physician workforce, including recruitment, rural training, and mentoring programming. Offers data on shortages by specialty and by county, as well as physician supply and demand data.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii and Pacific Basin Area Health Education Centers
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Suicide Care in Kentucky Hospitals
Provides an overview of suicide-related visits in Kentucky hospitals and emergency departments, recent changes, and patient demographics. Features statistics including percentages of suicide-related visits in 2017-2023 in rural and urban Kentucky hospitals, and a county-level map showing locations of psychiatric hospitals.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Provides an overview of suicide-related visits in Kentucky hospitals and emergency departments, recent changes, and patient demographics. Features statistics including percentages of suicide-related visits in 2017-2023 in rural and urban Kentucky hospitals, and a county-level map showing locations of psychiatric hospitals.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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December 2024 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2024 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), skilled nursing facility services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, home health services, hospice services, and outpatient dialysis services.
Additional links: Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services; and Mandated Report on Rural Emergency Hospitals - Presentation Slides, Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Skilled Nursing Facility Services - Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2024 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), skilled nursing facility services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, home health services, hospice services, and outpatient dialysis services.
Additional links: Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services; and Mandated Report on Rural Emergency Hospitals - Presentation Slides, Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Skilled Nursing Facility Services - Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Understanding MAT Access in the Context of Unused MAT Capacity in the United States: When Increasing Rural MAT Capacity is Not Enough
Examines the factors related to buprenorphine prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impacts of the federal DATA waiver to increase provider capacity. Utilizes multiple data sources to describe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) capacity, access, barriers, availability of MAT, and service area need in rural areas.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Rachel Zambrano, Eileen Tallman, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 47
Date: 12/2024
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Examines the factors related to buprenorphine prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impacts of the federal DATA waiver to increase provider capacity. Utilizes multiple data sources to describe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) capacity, access, barriers, availability of MAT, and service area need in rural areas.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Rachel Zambrano, Eileen Tallman, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 47
Date: 12/2024
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Extended Reality Telehealth for Rural Spaces
Discusses how extended reality technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive mixed reality, can be used in physical and occupational therapy, mental healthcare, elder care, and veterans healthcare services. Describes potential barriers to implementing extended reality telehealth practices, focusing on rural providers and facilities. Highlights examples of rural broadband and healthcare providers collaborating to implement telehealth services.
Author(s): Joshua Seidemann
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Discusses how extended reality technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive mixed reality, can be used in physical and occupational therapy, mental healthcare, elder care, and veterans healthcare services. Describes potential barriers to implementing extended reality telehealth practices, focusing on rural providers and facilities. Highlights examples of rural broadband and healthcare providers collaborating to implement telehealth services.
Author(s): Joshua Seidemann
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease: 2024 Update
Action plan outlining 6 goals for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address the challenges facing people with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) and their families and to minimize the burden of AD/ADRD. Includes action items related to AD/ADRD treatment and care quality, public awareness and engagement, data tracking, and collaboration to support underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Action plan outlining 6 goals for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address the challenges facing people with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) and their families and to minimize the burden of AD/ADRD. Includes action items related to AD/ADRD treatment and care quality, public awareness and engagement, data tracking, and collaboration to support underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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