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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Technology for health and human services

Broadband Internet Subscription Rates and Opioid Prescribing via Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores the effect of the DEA's temporary permission for providers to prescribe opioids via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kentucky. Discusses the effect this permission had on rural areas and in counties with low and high rates of broadband access.
Author(s): Douglas R. Oyler, Svetla Slavova, Patricia R. Freeman, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(4), 900-907
Date: 09/2022
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Interventions for Increasing Digital Equity and Access (IDEA) Among Rural Patients Who Smoke: Study Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Pilot Trial
Examines digital access and literacy interventions that facilitate online evidence-based smoking cessation treatment (EBCT) for rural adults. Provides methodology and components of 3 different EBCT interventions aimed at participants in a Midwestern community-based health system. Includes feedback from a rural community advisory committee (CAC) on the study protocol.
Author(s): Christi Patten, Tabetha Brockman, Sydney Kelpin, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials, 119, 106838
Date: 08/2022
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Telehealth Brings Important Services to Rural Long-Term Care Facilities
Discusses the benefits of telehealth services for residents and staff of rural long-term care facilities. Identifies some of the challenges related to providing these services. Features a New Hampshire skilled nursing facility providing telemental health services, and a Virginia geriatrician helping long-term care facilities address COVID-19 via Project ECHO educational sessions.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Adoption of Telemedicine in a Rural US Cancer Center Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Study
Describes the implementation of telemedicine in outpatient oncology clinics affiliated with the Dartmouth Cancer Center that serve rural patients. Discusses findings from interviews with staff, specialty providers, and practice managers, noting challenges to implementation, the need for guidance, and concerns about communication quality.
Author(s): Matthew Mackwood, Rebecca Butcher, Danielle Vaclavik, et al.
Citation: JMIR Cancer, 8(3), e33768
Date: 08/2022
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Households in Rural Communities with Persistent Poverty Have Less Access to Internet at Home
Chart depicting internet access in relation to persistent poverty for metro and nonmetro counties based on data from the USDA Economic Research Service and 2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Adaptations and Innovations for Delivering Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines disruptions and adaptations in delivering mental health and substance use treatment services during the COVID-19 pandemic, including benefits and challenges of telehealth adoption. Discusses changes to substance use disorder (SUD) and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment during the pandemic and remaining challenges related to access to remote services.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Home Health Prospective Payment System for CY 2023
Comments on a June 23, 2022, Federal Register proposed rule related to Medicare payment policies for home health agencies. Includes comments regarding the collection of data on the use of telecommunications technology under the Medicare home health benefit and quality measure stratification as a tool to address healthcare disparities and advance health equity.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Advancing Primary Care Innovation in Medicaid Managed Care: A Toolkit for States
Designed to help states leverage their Medicaid managed care contracts and request for proposals (RFPs) to advance primary care innovation (PCI). Outlines strategies for states to conceptualize and design advanced primary care core functions and use managed care contract levers to drive uptake and spread. Provides examples of state approaches, with rural considerations, for identifying and addressing social determinants of health, integrating behavioral healthcare, developing team-based care, implementing technology to improve access, and more.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Reconnecting the Patient: Why Telehealth Policy Solutions Must Consider the Deepening Digital Divide
Discusses the digital divide and telehealth for specific populations including rural residents and people with disabilities in context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Describes federal and state legislation around the digital divide and telehealth, and provides policy recommendations for a variety of populations.
Author(s): Laura C. Hoffman
Citation: Indiana Health Law Review, 19(2), 351-385
Date: 07/2022
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USDA Resource Guide for American Indians and Alaska Natives 2022
Provides an overview of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding and support programs available to American Indian and Alaska Native communities and tribal governments. Includes sections on agricultural and nutritional tools, business and community development, telecommunications and broadband, housing, and federal grant applications.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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