Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
County-Level Differences in Fee-for-Service Medicare Quality Measures by Rurality and Disability Status
Results of a study examining county-level differences in 3 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare quality measures to address differences in quality of care by rurality and disability status. Features statistics on percent of FFS enrollees receiving flu vaccine and mammogram screening, and rate of hospital stays for ambulatory-care sensitive conditions, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Andrew Abram, Alexis Swendener, et al.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study examining county-level differences in 3 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare quality measures to address differences in quality of care by rurality and disability status. Features statistics on percent of FFS enrollees receiving flu vaccine and mammogram screening, and rate of hospital stays for ambulatory-care sensitive conditions, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Andrew Abram, Alexis Swendener, et al.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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A Review of the Rural Health Transformation Program Year 1 Obligated Funds
Discusses states' obligation of first-year Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding through July 2026. Describes the degree to which states have committed funding across eight categories: workforce, health system innovation, technology, payment and service delivery models, disease prevention and care, accessible care, population health, and health promotion. Includes data on the percent of RHTP funding obligated by state through July 2026.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Discusses states' obligation of first-year Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding through July 2026. Describes the degree to which states have committed funding across eight categories: workforce, health system innovation, technology, payment and service delivery models, disease prevention and care, accessible care, population health, and health promotion. Includes data on the percent of RHTP funding obligated by state through July 2026.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Operational Challenges During Public Health Emergencies in Safety-Net Hospitals
Results of a study identifying challenges faced by safety net hospitals (SNHs) and approaches to strengthen future emergency response capacity. Based on data from 10 SNHs, including 3 in rural areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Tara Kirk Sell, Vanessa Gregoire, Madisen S. Neufeld, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2640799
Date: 10/2026
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Results of a study identifying challenges faced by safety net hospitals (SNHs) and approaches to strengthen future emergency response capacity. Based on data from 10 SNHs, including 3 in rural areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Tara Kirk Sell, Vanessa Gregoire, Madisen S. Neufeld, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2640799
Date: 10/2026
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Disaster Response, Recovery, and Resilience in Rural America: Research Summary of America's Rural Future Symposium | August 6, 2026
Summarizes findings from an August 2026 symposium on federal disaster assistance, response, and preparedness in rural areas. Discusses topics including risk measurement; federal, state, and local roles and capacity to contribute to disaster response; strategies for resilience-oriented investment; and more.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Brent Orrell, Adam Aley, Madeline Tong
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity, The Brookings Institution
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Summarizes findings from an August 2026 symposium on federal disaster assistance, response, and preparedness in rural areas. Discusses topics including risk measurement; federal, state, and local roles and capacity to contribute to disaster response; strategies for resilience-oriented investment; and more.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Brent Orrell, Adam Aley, Madeline Tong
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity, The Brookings Institution
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Disparities in Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Rural Versus Urban Michigan
Compares rural and urban cancer incidence and cancer-specific mortality in Michigan, using 2017-2021 data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Includes breakdowns by cancer type for 10 leading cancers, as well as incidence by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) stage for colorectal, female breast, lung and bronchus, and prostate cancer.
Author(s): Reba Dhillon, Stephanie Mackenzie, Austin H. Qasawa, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(11), e72396
Date: 10/2026
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Compares rural and urban cancer incidence and cancer-specific mortality in Michigan, using 2017-2021 data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Includes breakdowns by cancer type for 10 leading cancers, as well as incidence by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) stage for colorectal, female breast, lung and bronchus, and prostate cancer.
Author(s): Reba Dhillon, Stephanie Mackenzie, Austin H. Qasawa, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(11), e72396
Date: 10/2026
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New England's Rural Economy: An Overview
Reports data on the rural economy of New England, including overall employment, employment by industry, income, poverty, and educational attainment. Includes state-level data for select indicators.
Author(s): Jeffrey P. Thompson, Nathaniel R. Nelson
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
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Reports data on the rural economy of New England, including overall employment, employment by industry, income, poverty, and educational attainment. Includes state-level data for select indicators.
Author(s): Jeffrey P. Thompson, Nathaniel R. Nelson
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
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Rural Skin Cancer Patients Tend to 'Slip Through the Cracks.' These Programs Are Trying to Change That
Provides a brief overview of barriers to accessing dermatology healthcare services and highlights programs to improve dermatology care in rural areas. Features a mobile unit offering skin cancer screenings and other dermatology services in rural areas of California, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, and Utah; a rural dermatology residency training track in Mississippi; and a Wisconsin program that provides dermatology training for rural primary care providers, equipping them with the hands-on skills to provide basic care when access to a specialist is limited.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides a brief overview of barriers to accessing dermatology healthcare services and highlights programs to improve dermatology care in rural areas. Features a mobile unit offering skin cancer screenings and other dermatology services in rural areas of California, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, and Utah; a rural dermatology residency training track in Mississippi; and a Wisconsin program that provides dermatology training for rural primary care providers, equipping them with the hands-on skills to provide basic care when access to a specialist is limited.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Hospital AI Use and Evaluation
Highlights a study exploring the rural and urban differences in the adoption, use, and evaluation of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) in U.S. hospitals. Bases findings on the 2023 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement and compares AI usage across Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, and Sole Community Hospitals, as well as by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Josiah A. Cruikshank, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70237
Date: 10/2026
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Highlights a study exploring the rural and urban differences in the adoption, use, and evaluation of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) in U.S. hospitals. Bases findings on the 2023 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement and compares AI usage across Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, and Sole Community Hospitals, as well as by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Josiah A. Cruikshank, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70237
Date: 10/2026
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Paying for Clinical AI: Principles for Policymakers
Provides an overview of clinical applications of artificial intelligence (clinical AI) tools and use cases. Describes payment challenges related to the use of clinical AI. Outlines seven principles that should guide payment policies for clinical AI.
Author(s): Allison Kwon, Maya Sandalow
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Provides an overview of clinical applications of artificial intelligence (clinical AI) tools and use cases. Describes payment challenges related to the use of clinical AI. Outlines seven principles that should guide payment policies for clinical AI.
Author(s): Allison Kwon, Maya Sandalow
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Patient-Provider Distance in Medicare Outpatient Oncology Telehealth Versus Office Visits, 2021‐2023: Cross-Sectional Claims Analysis
Presents a study exploring the use of telehealth to extend the patient-provider geographic reach for outpatient oncology-related visits in patients aged 66 or older. Draws data from Medicare Fee-For-Service claims to compare patient-provider distance for in-office and telehealth oncology visits, by rurality and U.S. Census region.
Author(s): Lingbo Liu, Tracy Onega, Erika L. Moen, et al.
Citation: JMIR Medical Informatics, 14, e95370
Date: 10/2026
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Presents a study exploring the use of telehealth to extend the patient-provider geographic reach for outpatient oncology-related visits in patients aged 66 or older. Draws data from Medicare Fee-For-Service claims to compare patient-provider distance for in-office and telehealth oncology visits, by rurality and U.S. Census region.
Author(s): Lingbo Liu, Tracy Onega, Erika L. Moen, et al.
Citation: JMIR Medical Informatics, 14, e95370
Date: 10/2026
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