Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Rural Health Transformation Program: State Focus on Community Health Workers
Describes examples of state initiatives regarding community health workers (CHWs) outlined Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) applications from Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Includes results of a scan of CHW proposals for each state with a publicly available RHTP application.
Author(s): Megan D'Alessandro, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Describes examples of state initiatives regarding community health workers (CHWs) outlined Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) applications from Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Includes results of a scan of CHW proposals for each state with a publicly available RHTP application.
Author(s): Megan D'Alessandro, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Fourteen of Thirty Selected Indian Health Service and Rural Providers Did Not Comply or May Not Have Complied With Terms and Conditions and Federal Requirements for Expending Provider Relief Fund Payments
Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Indiana Physician Assistant Workforce: 2024 Data Report
Provides an overview of the physician assistant (PA) workforce in Indiana as of 2024. Focuses on total PA license renewals, demographic and employment characteristics, and county-level geographic distribution, including population to PA ratios.
Author(s): Cleveland Dietz, Sierra Vaughn, Brittany Daulton
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Provides an overview of the physician assistant (PA) workforce in Indiana as of 2024. Focuses on total PA license renewals, demographic and employment characteristics, and county-level geographic distribution, including population to PA ratios.
Author(s): Cleveland Dietz, Sierra Vaughn, Brittany Daulton
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Geospatial Structural Isolation Analysis of Emergency Services in New York State
Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel-time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel-time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Michigan Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Michigan Rural Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Michigan Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Telemedicine in Rural EMS: Expanding Capabilities and Scope
Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Rural-Based Accountable Care Organizations Agreement Renewal
Policy brief describing characteristics of Accountable Care Organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Compares trends in exits and entries into MSSP between rural and urban areas from 2013-2022.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Policy brief describing characteristics of Accountable Care Organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Compares trends in exits and entries into MSSP between rural and urban areas from 2013-2022.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Evaluation of the Making Care Primary Model
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Explores model participation, participants' early implementation experiences, and the model's chances for meeting model expansion criteria related to cost and quality.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Explores model participation, participants' early implementation experiences, and the model's chances for meeting model expansion criteria related to cost and quality.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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