America at a Glance: Early Fears Realized as COVID-19 Surges in Rural Counties
Examines the difference between the expected need for local COVID-19 ICU beds and the number of actual beds available between October 26 - November 8, 2020. Includes a map illustrating the difference at the county level.
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities, University of Montana Rural Institute: A Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
view details

COVID-19: Urgent Actions Needed to Better Ensure an Effective Federal Response
Examines the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides an overview of federal actions on healthcare and economic policy areas, including Medicare telehealth waivers and funding to enhance broadband access in rural communities. Offers 11 recommendations to federal agencies and one matter for congressional consideration to ensure an effective government response to COVID-19.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details

The Future of State Telehealth Policy
Provides an overview of state and federal telehealth flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses long-term considerations for governors regarding the impact of these flexibilities on healthcare delivery and payment and the appropriateness of these policies in the future.
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
view details

Listening to Rural Stories: Q&A with Alisa Druzba
An interview with Alisa Druzba, director of the New Hampshire's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, who discusses her journey to becoming a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) director, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her state, and the work her office focuses on to support rural New Hampshire.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details

Costs of Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2017
Examines the cost of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. Includes data by location of patient's residence for large metropolitan, small metro, micropolitan, and rural areas. Topics covered include aggregate costs, average costs, number of ED visits, aggregate costs by community-level income, and aggregate costs by primary expected payer.
Author(s): Brian J. Moore, Lan Liang
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
view details

States Are Getting Ready to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines. What Do Their Plans Tell Us So Far?
Reviews and summarizes COVID-19 vaccination plans from 47 U.S. states and identifies common themes and concerns. Assesses states' progress in key areas: identifying priority populations, identifying the network of providers responsible for administering vaccines, developing the data collection and reporting systems, and laying out a communications strategy for the period before and during vaccination.
Additional links: State Plans
Author(s): Josh Michaud, Jennifer Kates, Rachel Dolan, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Family Foundation
view details

Limited Access to Health Data on American Indian and Alaska Natives Impedes Population Health Insights
Presents a study on the lack of data on the health of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. Evaluates 8 different sets of population health data for AI/AN-specific data. Features an infographic outlining the findings.
Additional links: Infographic
Author(s): Tara L. Becker, Susan H. Babey, Riti Shimkhada, et al.
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
view details

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Ethical Principles for Allocating Initial Supplies of COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, 2020
Discusses four ethical principles that will inform the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for the initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccine: maximizing benefits and minimizing harms; promoting justice; mitigating health inequities; and promoting transparency. The section on health inequities includes discussion of concerns for rural residents.
Author(s): Nancy McClung, Mary Chamberland, Kathy Kinlaw, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(47), 1782-1786
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details

Indian Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Plan
Highlights the Indian Health Service's plan for distributing the COVID-19 vaccination in Indian Country when it becomes available. Discusses the administration, distribution, and prioritization of the vaccine and features planning scenarios and facility planning resources.
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
view details

Maintaining Flexible Telehealth Policies After COVID-19
Provides an overview of the views of stakeholder organizations on topics for federal policymakers to consider regarding Medicare telehealth flexibilities after the COVID-19 public health emergency. Covers payment policy, telehealth services, and provider and patient location, among other topics.
Author(s): Sue Felt-Lisk
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica Policy Research
view details