Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

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
Type: Document
view details
Hawai'i Physician Workforce Report
Examines supply and demand of the physician workforce in Hawaii. Includes data about supply per year and by medical specialty, shortages by county, future trends, and solutions to invest in the workforce pipeline.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Hawai'i System
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
view details
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
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
view details
Report to the 2023 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: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii and Pacific Basin Area Health Education Centers
view details
National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease: 2022 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 data tracking, care, and supports for underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Program
Describes a pilot grant program designed to improve maternal and neonatal health in rural communities by collecting data and supporting the development of financially sustainable and coordinated network models. Aims to make maternal and obstetrics care more accessible through increased use of telehealth and specialty care. Fact sheet provides information on the activities of 3 rural networks funded through the RMOMS program.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Website
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Maternal and Child Health Bureau
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
view details