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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

AHRQ Summit to Address Emergency Department Boarding: Technical Report
Report from an October 2024 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) summit to discuss emergency department boarding. Examines some of emergency physicians' biggest concerns and highlights possible solutions to address boarding head-on, including enhancing measurement and standards, re-aligning hospital incentives, and increasing support to empower emergency physicians to do their jobs effectively. Includes sections on rural patients and rural areas.
Author(s): Robin M. Weinick, Sean Bruna, Rachael M. Boicourt, Sean S. Michael, Laura L. Sessums
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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An Examination of the Implementation and Effectiveness of the Telehealth Broadband Pilot Program in the United States
Provides a brief overview of the Telehealth Broadband Pilot (TBP) Program, which aimed to address gaps in broadband service that limited access to telehealth services in rural and underserved communities in Alaska, Michigan, Texas, and West Virginia. Describes the development and implementation of pods that measured broadband data in the communities over time. Summarizes discussions with TBP Program staff regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the program. Includes factors for consideration in the development of future programs to measure broadband in rural communities.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Telehealth Evaluation Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Regional Campuses
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Nursing at an Inflection Point: Creating Systems of Care that Support and Value the Contributions of Nurses: 20th Annual Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress
Presents policy and programmatic recommendations to address valuing the impact of nursing care on patient outcomes, strengthening academic-practice partnerships, removing practice barriers for advanced practice registered nursing, and supporting the infusion of technology of nursing education and practice. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice
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Opioid Use Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Impact of a Diabetic Retinal Exam Screening Program on Quality Measure Gaps at a Family Medicine Practice
Examines access to diabetic retinal exams and the impact of their availability on quality measures at a rural family medicine center in southwestern Pennsylvania. Includes data on diabetic retinal screenings and associated factors related to exam access.
Author(s): Michael Hair, Alexandra Tardugno, Alyssa Greenaway, Chelse Wisenor, Autumn Stewart-Lynch
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 65(1)
Date: 01/2025
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Community-Engaged Approach to Improve Food Access and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in a Rural Appalachian Community
Examines a community advisory board (CAB) in Kentucky consisting of community-academic relationships focused on addressing food security. Discusses the process of forming the CAB, their engagement and contributions, and potential food access solutions that could be implemented in rural Appalachia.
Author(s): Courtney T. Luecking, Makenzie Barr-Porter, Dawn Brewer, Kathryn M. Cardarelli
Citation: Nutrients, 17(3), 431
Date: 01/2025
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Key Findings from a 2024 Survey of Native American Caregivers: Experiences with Food Access and the Summer Meals Program
Examines food insecurity for families in tribal areas and the use of federal food programs. Analyzes data from the Family Spirit FOOD (Finding Opportunities and Options for Distribution of Nourishing Food for Tribal Communities) Survey to analyze use of congregate and rural non-congregate Summer Meals Programs.
Author(s): S. Vanegas, A. Harris, N. Neault, K. Nelson, A. Barlow
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Indigenous Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, No Kid Hungry
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Wildfire Smoke as an Occupational Risk Factor: Clinician's Guide
Report discusses the health concerns associated with wildfire smoke exposure for farmworkers, and other outdoor workers. Highlights state-level air quality policies for workers in several western states and outlines best practices for clinicians.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc., Migrant Clinicians Network
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National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers: Annual Report 2024
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: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Delivering Broadband from Beginning to "End"
Describes the process, timeline, and challenges of designing and implementing a reliable and robust broadband network in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Foundation for Rural Service, NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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