Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care
Spatial Accessibility of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs, Compared with Other Health Care Facilities, in New York State, 2024
Examines spatial accessibility to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in New York State. Analyzes one-way travel time as well as the difference in travel between the closest and fifth closest facility. Includes maps comparing travel time to SUD treatment to other healthcare facilities in rural and urban areas of New York State.
Author(s): Marcus A. Bachhuber, Chinazo O. Cunningham, Pat Lincourt, Ashly E. Jordan
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 60
Date: 07/2025
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Examines spatial accessibility to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in New York State. Analyzes one-way travel time as well as the difference in travel between the closest and fifth closest facility. Includes maps comparing travel time to SUD treatment to other healthcare facilities in rural and urban areas of New York State.
Author(s): Marcus A. Bachhuber, Chinazo O. Cunningham, Pat Lincourt, Ashly E. Jordan
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 60
Date: 07/2025
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MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2025
Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Empowering Patients to Participate in Clinical Trials
Discusses the importance of clinical trials as well as the barriers that impact participant enrollment and retention. Provides strategies and policy suggestions to improve participation in clinical trials for various populations, including those in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Agata Bodie
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Discusses the importance of clinical trials as well as the barriers that impact participant enrollment and retention. Provides strategies and policy suggestions to improve participation in clinical trials for various populations, including those in rural and remote areas.
Author(s): Allison Kolbe, Agata Bodie
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Expanding the Opioid Use Disorder Medication Treatment Workforce in Rural Communities Through the RCORP Initiative
Examines the impact of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) on the workforce supply of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-waivered clinicians in rural areas, who are able to prescribe buprenorphine. Analyzes 2017–2022 DEA lists of waivered clinicians to report on counties with a waivered clinician, clinician-to-population ratios, and treatment slot-to-population ratios. Discusses the impact of RCORP funding on Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) recovery services in rural communities.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Kathleen Meyers, Davis G. Patterson
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12867
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the impact of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) on the workforce supply of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-waivered clinicians in rural areas, who are able to prescribe buprenorphine. Analyzes 2017–2022 DEA lists of waivered clinicians to report on counties with a waivered clinician, clinician-to-population ratios, and treatment slot-to-population ratios. Discusses the impact of RCORP funding on Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) recovery services in rural communities.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Kathleen Meyers, Davis G. Patterson
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12867
Date: 07/2025
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The Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Can Telehealth Increase Access to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder and Offset Barriers to Care?
Examines the impact of telehealth on access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. Utilizes data from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program's (RCORP) consortia, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) to analyze access to MOUD and rates of telehealth use for rural consortia. Discusses potential barriers and factors impacting telehealth implementation for SUD and OUD care.
Author(s): Kathleen Meyers, Shannon Herman, Heather Schuler, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 271, 112628
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of telehealth on access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. Utilizes data from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program's (RCORP) consortia, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) to analyze access to MOUD and rates of telehealth use for rural consortia. Discusses potential barriers and factors impacting telehealth implementation for SUD and OUD care.
Author(s): Kathleen Meyers, Shannon Herman, Heather Schuler, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 271, 112628
Date: 06/2025
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Logistic and Time Burdens Reported by Gynecologic and Breast Cancer Survivors
Examines logistic and time burdens of cancer care in breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. Analyzes survey feedback from 224 participants related to travel time, wait time, and trips to the cancer center, with data breakdowns according to patient's employment, education, cancer type and treatment status, dependent status, income, and rural versus urban residence. Discusses the impact of cancer care on time for other activities.
Author(s): Allison C. Dona, Aisha Ambo, Patricia Jewett, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 273
Date: 06/2025
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Examines logistic and time burdens of cancer care in breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. Analyzes survey feedback from 224 participants related to travel time, wait time, and trips to the cancer center, with data breakdowns according to patient's employment, education, cancer type and treatment status, dependent status, income, and rural versus urban residence. Discusses the impact of cancer care on time for other activities.
Author(s): Allison C. Dona, Aisha Ambo, Patricia Jewett, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 273
Date: 06/2025
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Primary Care Practices' Choice of Implementation Strategy for Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Patients with Diabetes: A Multiple Methods Study Within a Larger Hybrid Type-3 Effectiveness-Implementation Study
Examines characteristics of primary care (PC) practices that utilize either a self-paced or virtual continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) implementation service. Provides feedback on CGM implementation from 76 PC practices in Colorado as well as characteristics of those practices. Compares metro versus nonmetro PC utilization of two CGM services: the self-paced American Academy of Family Physicians Transformation in Practice Series (TIPS) service or the virtual CGM initiation service (virCIS).
Author(s): Kimberly T. Wiggins, Tristen L. Hall, Bonnie Jortberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 195
Date: 06/2025
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Examines characteristics of primary care (PC) practices that utilize either a self-paced or virtual continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) implementation service. Provides feedback on CGM implementation from 76 PC practices in Colorado as well as characteristics of those practices. Compares metro versus nonmetro PC utilization of two CGM services: the self-paced American Academy of Family Physicians Transformation in Practice Series (TIPS) service or the virtual CGM initiation service (virCIS).
Author(s): Kimberly T. Wiggins, Tristen L. Hall, Bonnie Jortberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 195
Date: 06/2025
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Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Availability Within US Short-Term, Acute-Care Hospitals, 2011-2023
Examines the availability of inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs) and the impact of COVID-19 on short-term psychiatric care in hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) data to examine changes in IPU availability according to rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Colleen M. McCullough, Ji Eun Chang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the availability of inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs) and the impact of COVID-19 on short-term psychiatric care in hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) data to examine changes in IPU availability according to rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Colleen M. McCullough, Ji Eun Chang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(6)
Date: 06/2025
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The Workforce Outcomes of Physicians Completing Residency Training in North Carolina in 2017, 2018, and 2019
Analyzes the number and percent of residency and fellowship program graduates who completed training in 2017, 2018, and 2019 who were in practice in North Carolina and in rural areas 5 years after residency or fellowship graduation. Also examines the number and percent of physicians who completed residency training in North Carolina who were in practice in North Carolina 5 years after training for 7 high need specialties.
Author(s): Evan Galloway, Brianna Lombardi, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Analyzes the number and percent of residency and fellowship program graduates who completed training in 2017, 2018, and 2019 who were in practice in North Carolina and in rural areas 5 years after residency or fellowship graduation. Also examines the number and percent of physicians who completed residency training in North Carolina who were in practice in North Carolina 5 years after training for 7 high need specialties.
Author(s): Evan Galloway, Brianna Lombardi, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Washington State's Anesthesia Workforce
Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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