Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care
Enhancing Access to Nephrology Care: Telenephrology Dashboard Optimization via Human-Centered Design
Examines how the development of the Telenephrology Dashboard for veterans served by the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (ICVAHCS) provides improved access to nephrology care and kidney specialists. Describes the methodology used to create and evaluate the dashboard as well as how telehealth tools can serve veterans in predominately rural areas.
Author(s): Melissa Swee, Bharat Kumar, M. Lee Sanders, et al.
Citation: BMC Nephrology, 26, 164
Date: 03/2025
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Examines how the development of the Telenephrology Dashboard for veterans served by the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (ICVAHCS) provides improved access to nephrology care and kidney specialists. Describes the methodology used to create and evaluate the dashboard as well as how telehealth tools can serve veterans in predominately rural areas.
Author(s): Melissa Swee, Bharat Kumar, M. Lee Sanders, et al.
Citation: BMC Nephrology, 26, 164
Date: 03/2025
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Non-Health Care Costs Associated with Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Visitation
Summarizes household expenses associated with neonatal intensive care unit visitation including transportation, lost wages, lodging, childcare, and more. Includes metropolitan and non-metropolitan comparisons in Appendix Table 2.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Gourevitch, Evan Ellicott, Christina Kim, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(3)
Date: 03/2025
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Summarizes household expenses associated with neonatal intensive care unit visitation including transportation, lost wages, lodging, childcare, and more. Includes metropolitan and non-metropolitan comparisons in Appendix Table 2.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Gourevitch, Evan Ellicott, Christina Kim, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(3)
Date: 03/2025
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Barriers to Surgical Health Care Access in Rural Communities
Discusses surgical healthcare worker shortages in rural communities and strategies to recruit and retain future surgeons. Provides information on the subspeciality in rural areas and the importance of access to surgical care.
Author(s): Kimberly Miller-Hammond, David Anderson,
Citation: The American Surgeon, 91(5)
Date: 02/2025
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Discusses surgical healthcare worker shortages in rural communities and strategies to recruit and retain future surgeons. Provides information on the subspeciality in rural areas and the importance of access to surgical care.
Author(s): Kimberly Miller-Hammond, David Anderson,
Citation: The American Surgeon, 91(5)
Date: 02/2025
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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
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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
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Exploring Access to Critical Health Services for Older Adults in Rural America from 1990 to 2020
Analyzes Area Health Resource Files to evaluate access to healthcare facilities and services between 1990 and 2020 using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Discusses healthcare access disparities between urban and rural areas and the growth of the older adult population in rural communities.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Bambury, Alexis A. Merdjanoff, Joshua T. Fergen, J. Tom Mueller
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70004
Date: 02/2025
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Analyzes Area Health Resource Files to evaluate access to healthcare facilities and services between 1990 and 2020 using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Discusses healthcare access disparities between urban and rural areas and the growth of the older adult population in rural communities.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Bambury, Alexis A. Merdjanoff, Joshua T. Fergen, J. Tom Mueller
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70004
Date: 02/2025
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2024-2025 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR): Recommendations Report
Reviews the 41 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2024-2025 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Reviews the 41 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2024-2025 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2025 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care, and Deteriorating Population Health Status, and presentation slides on this report from the 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care, and Deteriorating Population Health Status, and presentation slides on this report from the 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care and Deteriorating Population Health Status
Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Peer-Assisted Telemedicine Hepatitis-C Treatment for People Who Use Drugs in Rural Communities: A Mixed Methods Study
Examines the Oregon HOPE TeleHCV study, which provided peer-facilitated telemedicine hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for people who use drugs (PWUD) in rural Oregon. Utilizes survey and interview data provided by patients and clinicians to identify effective strategies for building trust and reducing barriers to treatment at the systems, clinical, and peer levels.
Author(s): Kim Hoffman, Gillian Leichtling, Sarah Shin, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 10
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the Oregon HOPE TeleHCV study, which provided peer-facilitated telemedicine hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for people who use drugs (PWUD) in rural Oregon. Utilizes survey and interview data provided by patients and clinicians to identify effective strategies for building trust and reducing barriers to treatment at the systems, clinical, and peer levels.
Author(s): Kim Hoffman, Gillian Leichtling, Sarah Shin, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 10
Date: 02/2025
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A Consultation Model for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Care
Analyzes the impact of a consultation model within an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) clinic in North Carolina. Examines 2017-2023 data of IDD patients and includes breakdowns of patient demographics, clinical needs, administrative characteristics, and estimated travel distance/time to clinic. Discusses the consultation model and its potential to serve rural and geographically dispersed patients.
Author(s): Rebecca T. Putnam, Phillip M. Hughes, Chelsea C. Atkins, C. Micha Belden
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 38(1), 180-187
Date: 01/2025
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Analyzes the impact of a consultation model within an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) clinic in North Carolina. Examines 2017-2023 data of IDD patients and includes breakdowns of patient demographics, clinical needs, administrative characteristics, and estimated travel distance/time to clinic. Discusses the consultation model and its potential to serve rural and geographically dispersed patients.
Author(s): Rebecca T. Putnam, Phillip M. Hughes, Chelsea C. Atkins, C. Micha Belden
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 38(1), 180-187
Date: 01/2025
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