Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Technology for health and human services
Information Hub: Digital Divide in Kansas
Presents information on the digital divide in Kansas as well as programs meant to improve digital access in rural and underserved communities. Includes a county-level map that shows households without a computer or broadband and corresponding demographic breakdowns available by county.
Author(s): Kaci Cink, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Presents information on the digital divide in Kansas as well as programs meant to improve digital access in rural and underserved communities. Includes a county-level map that shows households without a computer or broadband and corresponding demographic breakdowns available by county.
Author(s): Kaci Cink, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Snapshot of Rural Health in Colorado, 2026
Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers: Annual Report 2025
Provides an annual update on the activities of the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC). Covers specific initiatives and developments for the two national and 12 regional Telehealth Resource Centers.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Provides an annual update on the activities of the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC). Covers specific initiatives and developments for the two national and 12 regional Telehealth Resource Centers.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Advancing Diagnostic Excellence in Rural Areas: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Simulation on Wheels: How Mobile Training Is Saving Lives in Rural Iowa
Podcast episode that discusses Simulation in Motion-Iowa (SIM-IA), a mobile clinical education program that provides rural hospitals and emergency medical service (EMS) professionals training experience in healthcare emergencies. Discusses the importance of SIM-IA in rural healthcare education to promote quality and patient safety in EMS and trauma situations.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Jacinda Bunch, Tina Eden
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode that discusses Simulation in Motion-Iowa (SIM-IA), a mobile clinical education program that provides rural hospitals and emergency medical service (EMS) professionals training experience in healthcare emergencies. Discusses the importance of SIM-IA in rural healthcare education to promote quality and patient safety in EMS and trauma situations.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Jacinda Bunch, Tina Eden
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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The Universal Service Fund and Related FCC Broadband Programs: Overview and Considerations for Congress
Provides an overview of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF) and its four programs: the High Cost Program, Lifeline Program, Schools and Libraries Program, and Rural Health Care Program. Outlines considerations for Congress for each program. Describes legislation introduced in the 119th Congress that would impact the USF programs.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF) and its four programs: the High Cost Program, Lifeline Program, Schools and Libraries Program, and Rural Health Care Program. Outlines considerations for Congress for each program. Describes legislation introduced in the 119th Congress that would impact the USF programs.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Closing the Digital Divide: AI Governance for Rural Hospitals
Explores how rural healthcare leaders can design artificial intelligence (AI) governance frameworks that reflect the realities of rural care. Summarizes a discussion among rural healthcare leaders regarding their experiences with AI governance and identifies 7 best practices.
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organizations: American Hospital Association, Microsoft
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Explores how rural healthcare leaders can design artificial intelligence (AI) governance frameworks that reflect the realities of rural care. Summarizes a discussion among rural healthcare leaders regarding their experiences with AI governance and identifies 7 best practices.
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organizations: American Hospital Association, Microsoft
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Predictors of Rural Hospital Closures in the United States: A Systematic Review and Call for AI-Driven Early Warning Systems
Examines financial, workforce, policy, economic, market, and demographic factors related to rural hospital closures and the development of AI warning systems based on these factors. Analyzes studies, published between 2013-2024, on rural hospital closures to identify closure predictors and discusses the creation of tools that may assist in identifying hospital distress, allowing stakeholders to intervene in a timely way.
Author(s): Kiruthika Balakrishnan, Zhi Li, Hana E. Hinkle, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 26, 86
Date: 12/2025
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Examines financial, workforce, policy, economic, market, and demographic factors related to rural hospital closures and the development of AI warning systems based on these factors. Analyzes studies, published between 2013-2024, on rural hospital closures to identify closure predictors and discusses the creation of tools that may assist in identifying hospital distress, allowing stakeholders to intervene in a timely way.
Author(s): Kiruthika Balakrishnan, Zhi Li, Hana E. Hinkle, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 26, 86
Date: 12/2025
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2024 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Addresses access to healthcare, care affordability, healthy living, effective treatment, person-centered care, care coordination, and more.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Addresses access to healthcare, care affordability, healthy living, effective treatment, person-centered care, care coordination, and more.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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2025 Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report
Presents findings of a survey capturing rural broadband and internet availability data as reported by 201 internet companies that responded to NTCA's survey. Describes technologies used to provide broadband services, broadband availability and subscription rates, anchor institutions, network deployment progress, supply chain challenges, barriers to widespread fiber deployment, broadband deployment mapping, and more.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Presents findings of a survey capturing rural broadband and internet availability data as reported by 201 internet companies that responded to NTCA's survey. Describes technologies used to provide broadband services, broadband availability and subscription rates, anchor institutions, network deployment progress, supply chain challenges, barriers to widespread fiber deployment, broadband deployment mapping, and more.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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