Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care
Pre-Pandemic Geographic Access to Hospital-Based Telehealth for Cancer Care in the United States
Explores the availability of telehealth and oncology services across geographic and sociodemographic domains before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes 2019 and 2020 data sources to examine hospital characteristics by telehealth and oncology services, with information on hospital ownership, number of hospital beds, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) status, presence of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) co-located at hospital, and more. Includes availability of telehealth, oncology, and hospital services broken down by county; HPSA status; income, average age, and race/ethnicity of residents; ratio of population to primary care physicians; rural noncore, rural micropolitan, or urban status; and more.
Author(s): David I. Shalowitz, Peiyin Hung, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan Eberth
Citation: PLoS One, 18(1)
Date: 01/2023
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Explores the availability of telehealth and oncology services across geographic and sociodemographic domains before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes 2019 and 2020 data sources to examine hospital characteristics by telehealth and oncology services, with information on hospital ownership, number of hospital beds, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) status, presence of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) co-located at hospital, and more. Includes availability of telehealth, oncology, and hospital services broken down by county; HPSA status; income, average age, and race/ethnicity of residents; ratio of population to primary care physicians; rural noncore, rural micropolitan, or urban status; and more.
Author(s): David I. Shalowitz, Peiyin Hung, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan Eberth
Citation: PLoS One, 18(1)
Date: 01/2023
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Geographic Access to Pediatric Cancer Care in the US
Examines estimated travel time for various populations to access pediatric cancer care in the United States. Analyzes data from more than 90 million children and adolescents and young adults (AYAs) extracted from 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Includes demographic breakdowns of median travel time by race/ethnicity, age, health insurance status, area deprivation index (ADI), U.S. region, and urban, large town, small town, or rural location. Provides maps that show travel time from population centroids of U.S. ZIP code tabulation areas as well as per capita pediatric oncologist supply by Census division and state.
Author(s): Xiaohui Liu, Mark N. Fluchel, Anne C. Kirchhoff, Haojie Zhu, Tracy Onega
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2251524
Date: 01/2023
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Examines estimated travel time for various populations to access pediatric cancer care in the United States. Analyzes data from more than 90 million children and adolescents and young adults (AYAs) extracted from 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Includes demographic breakdowns of median travel time by race/ethnicity, age, health insurance status, area deprivation index (ADI), U.S. region, and urban, large town, small town, or rural location. Provides maps that show travel time from population centroids of U.S. ZIP code tabulation areas as well as per capita pediatric oncologist supply by Census division and state.
Author(s): Xiaohui Liu, Mark N. Fluchel, Anne C. Kirchhoff, Haojie Zhu, Tracy Onega
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2251524
Date: 01/2023
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The Future Pediatric Subspecialty Physician Workforce: Meeting the Needs of Infants, Children, and Adolescents
Reports on barriers to increasing the pediatric subspecialist workforce and discusses the impact on research to improve health outcomes for children. Discusses access to care, education of the workforce, reimbursement rates, and more. Highlights rural specific challenges throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Children, Youth, and Families
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Reports on barriers to increasing the pediatric subspecialist workforce and discusses the impact on research to improve health outcomes for children. Discusses access to care, education of the workforce, reimbursement rates, and more. Highlights rural specific challenges throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Children, Youth, and Families
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Rural Communities in the United States Face Persistent Disparities in Access to Orthopaedic Surgical Care
Examines trends in the proportion of orthopedic surgeons practicing in rural areas between 2013 to 2018 using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Compare National Downloadable File (PC-NDF). Identifies the proportion of rural U.S. counties with access to orthopedic surgeons. Describes the characteristics associated with surgeons practicing in a rural setting.
Author(s): Victoria S. Wu, Jenna E. Schmidt, Tarun K. Jella, et al.
Citation: The Iowa Orthopaedic Journal, 431(1), 15-21
Date: 2023
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Examines trends in the proportion of orthopedic surgeons practicing in rural areas between 2013 to 2018 using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Compare National Downloadable File (PC-NDF). Identifies the proportion of rural U.S. counties with access to orthopedic surgeons. Describes the characteristics associated with surgeons practicing in a rural setting.
Author(s): Victoria S. Wu, Jenna E. Schmidt, Tarun K. Jella, et al.
Citation: The Iowa Orthopaedic Journal, 431(1), 15-21
Date: 2023
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Disparities in Access to Radiation Therapy by Race and Ethnicity in the United States With Focus on American Indian/Alaska Native People
Explores access to radiation therapy American Indian and Alaska Native people across the U.S. Explores travel distances to receive radiation therapy for AI/AN majority and non-AI/AN majority groups. Breaks down data by Indian Health Service region.
Author(s): Solmaz Amiri, Matthew D. Greer, Clemma J. Muller, et al.
Citation: Value in Health, 25(12), 1929-1938
Date: 12/2022
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Explores access to radiation therapy American Indian and Alaska Native people across the U.S. Explores travel distances to receive radiation therapy for AI/AN majority and non-AI/AN majority groups. Breaks down data by Indian Health Service region.
Author(s): Solmaz Amiri, Matthew D. Greer, Clemma J. Muller, et al.
Citation: Value in Health, 25(12), 1929-1938
Date: 12/2022
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Improving Rural Health Through Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication
Presents the results of a comprehensive literature review to identify, summarize, and evaluate available research on the contributions of rural provider-to-provider telehealth communication and collaboration in addressing health disparities, and improving the health of rural populations. Topics cover the specific applications, effectiveness, implementation, sustainability, and barriers and facilitators of provider-to-provider telehealth in rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 1, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 2
Author(s): Annette Totten, Dana M. Womack, Marian S. McDonagh, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Presents the results of a comprehensive literature review to identify, summarize, and evaluate available research on the contributions of rural provider-to-provider telehealth communication and collaboration in addressing health disparities, and improving the health of rural populations. Topics cover the specific applications, effectiveness, implementation, sustainability, and barriers and facilitators of provider-to-provider telehealth in rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 1, Telehealth's Potential To Benefit Rural Healthcare Delivery: Infographic 2
Author(s): Annette Totten, Dana M. Womack, Marian S. McDonagh, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Addressing Behavioral Health Workforce Needs in Kansas
Examines the behavioral health workforce in Kansas by age and rural versus urban geographic distribution. Includes data on population to provider ratios for psychiatrists and licensed special clinical social workers (LSCSWs). Discusses strategies to reduce behavioral workforce shortages such as the utilization of telehealth.
Author(s): Cynthia Snyder, Angela Wu, Hina B. Shah, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Examines the behavioral health workforce in Kansas by age and rural versus urban geographic distribution. Includes data on population to provider ratios for psychiatrists and licensed special clinical social workers (LSCSWs). Discusses strategies to reduce behavioral workforce shortages such as the utilization of telehealth.
Author(s): Cynthia Snyder, Angela Wu, Hina B. Shah, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Doula Care and Maternal Health: An Evidence Review
Examines the role of doula care in maternal health as well as impacts, challenges, access, disparities, reimbursement, and policy efforts related to maternity/doula care. Includes a county-level U.S. map of maternity care deserts and discussion of rural-specific maternity programs.
Author(s): Kathleen Knocke, Andre Chappel, Sarah Sugar, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the role of doula care in maternal health as well as impacts, challenges, access, disparities, reimbursement, and policy efforts related to maternity/doula care. Includes a county-level U.S. map of maternity care deserts and discussion of rural-specific maternity programs.
Author(s): Kathleen Knocke, Andre Chappel, Sarah Sugar, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Report of the (Pennsylvania) Opioid Abuse Child Impact Task Force: Act 2 of 2022
Identifies strategies to mitigate the suffering of Pennsylvania infants and children affected by the opioid epidemic and alcohol abuse. Offers 13 actionable recommendations for consideration by the General Assembly and governor. Mentions rural throughout, and includes county-level maps showing higher rates of opioid use disorder and its consequences in Pennsylvania rural counties.
Author(s): Glenn J. Pasewicz, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Daniel Nguyen, et al.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Identifies strategies to mitigate the suffering of Pennsylvania infants and children affected by the opioid epidemic and alcohol abuse. Offers 13 actionable recommendations for consideration by the General Assembly and governor. Mentions rural throughout, and includes county-level maps showing higher rates of opioid use disorder and its consequences in Pennsylvania rural counties.
Author(s): Glenn J. Pasewicz, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Daniel Nguyen, et al.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Patterns of Health Care Use among Rural-Urban Medicare Beneficiaries Age 85 and Older, 2010-2017
Policy brief examining how rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries age 85+ differ in terms of their socioeconomic and health characteristics that may inform healthcare use. Features statistics on trends in healthcare use, including inpatient and emergency department care, outpatient and prescription services, specialists and dentists, and home health and durable medical equipment, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Amanda Burgess, Carly Milkowski
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief examining how rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries age 85+ differ in terms of their socioeconomic and health characteristics that may inform healthcare use. Features statistics on trends in healthcare use, including inpatient and emergency department care, outpatient and prescription services, specialists and dentists, and home health and durable medical equipment, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Amanda Burgess, Carly Milkowski
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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