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Rural Health Information Hub

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

Health Impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on St Thomas and St John, US Virgin Islands, 2017–2018
Assesses the impacts of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria on the healthcare infrastructure and record keeping systems of St. Thomas and St. John, Virgin Islands. Discusses interviews and data drawn from emergency department records before, between, and after the hurricanes, including statistics on patient demographics and healthcare service usage by health condition. Describes the significant damage to the Schneider Regional Medical Center (SRMC) hospital, the only emergency hospital on the island, during and after the hurricanes, and the impact of that damage on healthcare services.
Author(s): Muhammad Abdul Baker Chowdhury, Andrew Fiore, Scott Cohen, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 109(12), 1725-1732
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Demand for Broadband in Rural Areas: Implications for Universal Access
Reports on the characteristics of demand for fixed broadband among households and small businesses in rural areas and how they affect private sector infrastructure investments. Discusses the role of schools and libraries as providers of broadband service and training to rural residents, and how broadband enabled services, such as telemedicine, may encourage rural households and small businesses to adopt the technology. Highlights federal programs and policies that may increase or impede broadband demand, and offers options for the U.S. Congress to consider as it addresses rural broadband demand.
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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A Model for Assessing Necessary Conditions for Rural Health Care's Mobile Health Readiness: Qualitative Assessment of Clinician-Perceived Barriers
Explores organizational readiness to adopt mobile health (mHealth) technologies such as Fitbit, My Fitness Pal, and Apple iWatch, among others. Reports on interviews with 13 clinicians from different specialty areas and their perceived barriers to adopt mHealth technologies, including unfamiliarity, clinician time, and electronic medical record and data keeping. Identifies a gap between patient usage versus healthcare organization usage of mHealth and presents a needs assessment model to successfully implement mHealth in unique ways to improve rural healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Bryan Weichelt, Casper Bendixsen, Timothy Patrick
Citation: JMIR mHealth uHealth, 7(11)
Date: 11/2019
Type: Document
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Intergovernmental Advisory Committee to the Federal Communications Commission Advisory Recommendation No: 2019-2 in the Matter of State, Local Tribal, and Territorial Regulatory and Other Barriers and Incentives to Telemedicine
Examines the technical infrastructure necessary for effective telemedicine delivery in state, territorial, tribal, and local (rural and urban) areas. Discusses the regulatory barriers including legislation, licensing, reimbursement, malpractice insurance, and privacy that obstruct its development and utilization, and offers recommendations addressing these barriers. Appendix A presents case studies of broadband and telehealth development in several states and territories.
Date: 11/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Communications Commission, Intergovernmental Advisory Committee to the Federal Communications Commission
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Follow‐up Approaches to a Health Literacy Intervention to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Rural Community Clinics: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study of health literacy interventions to support colorectal cancer screening among 620 patients served by 4 rural community clinics in Louisiana. Compares completion rates of fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) when patients received automated and personal telephone follow-up calls. Discusses health literacy and cost implications of these FIT completion methods and presents participant data based on gender, race, education level, age, and healthcare participation questions.
Author(s): Connie L. Arnold, Alfred W. Rademaker, James D. Morris, et al.
Citation: Cancer, 125(20), 3615-3622
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
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Strategic Options for the Modernization of the Indian Health Service Health Information Technology: Final Report
Identifies recommended approaches and next steps for modernizing the Indian Health Service use of health information technology (HIT). Addresses the needs of both patients and the health workforce that will use the system, as well as governance and a variety of technological issues. Lists constraints to HIT modernization along with proposed mitigations for those constraints.
Additional links: Roadmap: Executive Summary
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Telecommunications: FCC Should Take Additional Action to Manage Fraud Risks in Its Program to Support Broadband Service in High-Cost Areas
Examines the funding reforms and fraud controls implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for small, rural telecommunications carriers, identified as "rate-of-return carriers". Includes recommendations to the FCC supporting fraud risk management, regular assessments, and newly designed strategies. Appendix I identifies key elements of a fraud-risk management assessment process.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Translational Science: Research with Results that Touch Rural Populations
Provides an overview of translational science and the role of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Discusses how NCATS is working to ensure rural communities benefit from translated science. Features a New York telehealth program addressing Parkinson Disease that is helping rural patients.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Science: Involving Rural America in Research
Features translational science teams in Arkansas, Florida, and Washington that are helping ensure new scientific findings are being used in rural communities to help patients. Discusses community engagement, the role of the electronic health record in data sharing, and collaboration with cooperative extension.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Broadband Data and Mapping: Background and Issues for the 116th Congress
Explores policy issues and challenges related to high-speed internet access, including federal agency roles in broadband mapping. Includes a section comparing urban and rural areas in terms of access to telecommunications and information technologies.
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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