Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Tribal Water Infrastructure: Opportunities Exist to Improve Federal Assistance
Provides an overview of federal roles in tribal water infrastructure projects. Examines the extent to which the Indian Health Service (IHS) can fund water infrastructure for homes and buildings in a tribal community. Explores opportunities to streamline application processes and administrative requirements when IHS collaborates with other federal agencies. Describes the limited financial capacity some tribes have to operate and maintain their water infrastructure, and the potential effects of IHS providing financial assistance for these purposes. Presents recommendations for Congress and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of federal roles in tribal water infrastructure projects. Examines the extent to which the Indian Health Service (IHS) can fund water infrastructure for homes and buildings in a tribal community. Explores opportunities to streamline application processes and administrative requirements when IHS collaborates with other federal agencies. Describes the limited financial capacity some tribes have to operate and maintain their water infrastructure, and the potential effects of IHS providing financial assistance for these purposes. Presents recommendations for Congress and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101)
Provides an overview of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101), which became law on July 11, 2026, and aims to address housing supply and affordability. Summarizes each provision of the law, as well as deadlines applicable to federal agencies. Includes references to rural programs throughout.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101), which became law on July 11, 2026, and aims to address housing supply and affordability. Summarizes each provision of the law, as well as deadlines applicable to federal agencies. Includes references to rural programs throughout.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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A Community-Focused Rural Academic Health Department Model in North Carolina: Elevating Community Engagement, Rural Public Health Practice and Research
Examines the collaboration among a rural district health department, the local community in north-central North Carolina, and academic partnerships. Discusses the development of a rural academic health department (RAHD) and its work related to public health research and interventions in rural areas.
Author(s): Carmen D. Samuel-Hodge, Lisa Macon Harrison, Wendy Smith, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the collaboration among a rural district health department, the local community in north-central North Carolina, and academic partnerships. Discusses the development of a rural academic health department (RAHD) and its work related to public health research and interventions in rural areas.
Author(s): Carmen D. Samuel-Hodge, Lisa Macon Harrison, Wendy Smith, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 09/2026
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Geographic Disparities in Access to Broadband, Ambulance Services, and Health Care and Implications for Telehealth
Explores the degree to which populated areas, including rural areas, lack the sufficient broadband infrastructure needed to support telehealth services, referred to as broadband deserts. Presents data on the number and percentage of rural residents who live in broadband deserts. Describes the intersection of broadband deserts with areas with limited access to prehospital ambulance services (ambulance deserts) and hospitals and clinics (healthcare deserts) by state.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Heidi O'Connor, Thomas E. Griffin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263290
Date: 09/2026
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Explores the degree to which populated areas, including rural areas, lack the sufficient broadband infrastructure needed to support telehealth services, referred to as broadband deserts. Presents data on the number and percentage of rural residents who live in broadband deserts. Describes the intersection of broadband deserts with areas with limited access to prehospital ambulance services (ambulance deserts) and hospitals and clinics (healthcare deserts) by state.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Heidi O'Connor, Thomas E. Griffin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263290
Date: 09/2026
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An Academic-Community Partnership Model for the Virtual Dental Home
Describes the University of California San Francisco (UCSF)-Smile Keepers virtual dental home program, a collaboration which operated from 2021-2025 and offered school-based teledentistry services. Explores ways in which similar programs can help close access gaps for children in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Manwa Hegde, Katie Conklin, Rachel Howard, et al.
Citation: Journal of the California Dental Association, 54(1), 2719416
Date: 09/2026
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Describes the University of California San Francisco (UCSF)-Smile Keepers virtual dental home program, a collaboration which operated from 2021-2025 and offered school-based teledentistry services. Explores ways in which similar programs can help close access gaps for children in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Manwa Hegde, Katie Conklin, Rachel Howard, et al.
Citation: Journal of the California Dental Association, 54(1), 2719416
Date: 09/2026
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Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, July-December 2025
Provides data on households that rely on wireless telephones rather than landlines. Includes data on the percent of adults who live in wireless-only households and have their own wireless telephone, as well as data on phoneless adults. Provides data for nonmetropolitan compared to metropolitan areas.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides data on households that rely on wireless telephones rather than landlines. Includes data on the percent of adults who live in wireless-only households and have their own wireless telephone, as well as data on phoneless adults. Provides data for nonmetropolitan compared to metropolitan areas.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Rural Hospitals: Policy and Infrastructure Opportunities in the Rural Health Transformation Program
Describes state Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) initiatives and investments intended to support rural hospital stability. Covers policies to stabilize rural hospitals through operational modernization, shared services, and targeted technical assistance; regionalization and hub-and-spoke care models; care delivery transformation; maternal and perinatal healthcare access; health information technology advances and interoperability; and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Describes state Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) initiatives and investments intended to support rural hospital stability. Covers policies to stabilize rural hospitals through operational modernization, shared services, and targeted technical assistance; regionalization and hub-and-spoke care models; care delivery transformation; maternal and perinatal healthcare access; health information technology advances and interoperability; and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Digital Health Readiness and Medicare Primary Care Spending: Nationwide County-Level Observational Analysis
Analyzes associations between county-level digitalization and Medicare primary care spending for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in 2,993 counties between 2017 and 2023 using the Digital Health Index. Discusses the differences when comparing within a county over time and between counties, as well as the impact on healthcare access and socioeconomic factors.
Author(s): Zhaoqiang Zhou, John Geracitano, Baiming Zou, Saif Khairat
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 28
Date: 09/2026
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Analyzes associations between county-level digitalization and Medicare primary care spending for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in 2,993 counties between 2017 and 2023 using the Digital Health Index. Discusses the differences when comparing within a county over time and between counties, as well as the impact on healthcare access and socioeconomic factors.
Author(s): Zhaoqiang Zhou, John Geracitano, Baiming Zou, Saif Khairat
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 28
Date: 09/2026
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Urban and Rural Hospital Closures in Georgia, 2022-2024
Results of a study examining postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals within 35 miles of a hospital closure in Georgia from 2022-2024. Includes statistics on characteristics of discharges from hospitals that remained open, as well as outcomes associated with a closure, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635085
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals within 35 miles of a hospital closure in Georgia from 2022-2024. Includes statistics on characteristics of discharges from hospitals that remained open, as well as outcomes associated with a closure, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635085
Date: 09/2026
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Rural–Urban and Appalachian Disparities in Geographic Access to Colonoscopy and Screening Prevalence Across the Contiguous US
Results of a study comparing access to colonoscopy providers. Features statistics on diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and screening procedures, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas and by type of colonoscopy provider.
Author(s): Sima Namin, R. Eric Heidel, Martin Whiteside, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study comparing access to colonoscopy providers. Features statistics on diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and screening procedures, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas and by type of colonoscopy provider.
Author(s): Sima Namin, R. Eric Heidel, Martin Whiteside, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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