Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Chronic Conditions in Residential Care Communities: United States, 2025
Reports on the prevalence of chronic disease among patients in residential care communities using 2025 National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study data. See Figure 2 for a metro-nonmetro comparison of residential care communities reporting patients with all four chronic conditions (Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, diabetes, depression, heart disease).
Author(s): Christine Caffrey, Manisha Sengupta, Jessica P. Lendon, Shannon Kindilien, Amanuel Melekin
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Reports on the prevalence of chronic disease among patients in residential care communities using 2025 National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study data. See Figure 2 for a metro-nonmetro comparison of residential care communities reporting patients with all four chronic conditions (Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, diabetes, depression, heart disease).
Author(s): Christine Caffrey, Manisha Sengupta, Jessica P. Lendon, Shannon Kindilien, Amanuel Melekin
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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October 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2026 meeting. Covers an analysis of physician participation in Medicare Advantage provider networks, issues affecting the payment accuracy of the physician fee schedule and the clinical laboratory fee schedule, clinician quality initiatives in fee-for-service Medicare, Medicare's late-enrollment penalties, and MedPAC's work plan regarding the skilled nursing facility and home health prospective payment systems.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2026 meeting. Covers an analysis of physician participation in Medicare Advantage provider networks, issues affecting the payment accuracy of the physician fee schedule and the clinical laboratory fee schedule, clinician quality initiatives in fee-for-service Medicare, Medicare's late-enrollment penalties, and MedPAC's work plan regarding the skilled nursing facility and home health prospective payment systems.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Roots of Prosperity: How Community Assets Create the Conditions for Rural Entrepreneurship
Reports on the community factors that influence entrepreneurship in rural areas, including natural, social, infrastructural, financial, and other forms of community capital. Uses Bozeman, Montana, and surrounding Gallatin County as a case study.
Author(s): Amanda Weinstein, Adam Dewbury, Olivia Galloway, et al.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Capital One Insights Center, Center on Rural Innovation
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Reports on the community factors that influence entrepreneurship in rural areas, including natural, social, infrastructural, financial, and other forms of community capital. Uses Bozeman, Montana, and surrounding Gallatin County as a case study.
Author(s): Amanda Weinstein, Adam Dewbury, Olivia Galloway, et al.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Capital One Insights Center, Center on Rural Innovation
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Strengthening Telehealth Skills for the Rural Healthcare Workforce
Provides links to training materials, tools, and technical assistance resources to help rural healthcare organizations build telehealth workforce capacity. Covers telehealth fundamentals, workforce development, clinical best practices, patient engagement, technology and innovation, emergency preparedness, reimbursement and sustainability, and regional support.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Provides links to training materials, tools, and technical assistance resources to help rural healthcare organizations build telehealth workforce capacity. Covers telehealth fundamentals, workforce development, clinical best practices, patient engagement, technology and innovation, emergency preparedness, reimbursement and sustainability, and regional support.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Philanthropic Funding Helps Rural Providers Access Ultrasound Equipment and Training
Discusses the benefits of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for rural patients and facilities. Describes funding from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for POCUS equipment and training and shares experiences of rural Minnesota and North Dakota providers who received this support.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the benefits of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for rural patients and facilities. Describes funding from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for POCUS equipment and training and shares experiences of rural Minnesota and North Dakota providers who received this support.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural and Non‐Rural U.S. Veterans Receiving Virtual Geriatric Mental Health Services in the Clinical Resource Hubs
Explores how the use of telehealth geriatric mental health services varies among rural and non-rural veterans within the Veterans Health Administration Clinical Resource Hub system, using 2021-2023 electronic health record data of 2,013 veterans aged 50 or older.
Author(s): Christine E. Gould, Chalise Carlson, Susan K. Schultz, et al.
Citation: Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice
Date: 10/2026
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Explores how the use of telehealth geriatric mental health services varies among rural and non-rural veterans within the Veterans Health Administration Clinical Resource Hub system, using 2021-2023 electronic health record data of 2,013 veterans aged 50 or older.
Author(s): Christine E. Gould, Chalise Carlson, Susan K. Schultz, et al.
Citation: Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice
Date: 10/2026
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Urban-Rural and Demographic Differences in Substance Use Among High School Students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2025
Reports on substance use behaviors among students at urban and rural schools based on data from the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Includes data for city, suburban/town, and rural schools for current and lifetime use of specific substances, including tobacco products, alcohol, prescription opioids, and a range of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Sanjana Pampati, Izraelle I. McKinnon, Joohyun Park, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) Supplements, 75(1), 54-66
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on substance use behaviors among students at urban and rural schools based on data from the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Includes data for city, suburban/town, and rural schools for current and lifetime use of specific substances, including tobacco products, alcohol, prescription opioids, and a range of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Sanjana Pampati, Izraelle I. McKinnon, Joohyun Park, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) Supplements, 75(1), 54-66
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Survival Versus Scale: The Effects of Critical Access Hospital Designation
Explores whether designation-based hospital subsidies, specifically the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program, preserve meaningful access to care. Describes the effects of CAH designation on hospital finances, capacity, and organizational outcomes between 1995-2010. Discusses the implications of hospital preservation and reduced operational scale on access to care and patient health.
Author(s): Ian M. McCarthy, Katie Leinenbach
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Bureau of Economic Research
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Explores whether designation-based hospital subsidies, specifically the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program, preserve meaningful access to care. Describes the effects of CAH designation on hospital finances, capacity, and organizational outcomes between 1995-2010. Discusses the implications of hospital preservation and reduced operational scale on access to care and patient health.
Author(s): Ian M. McCarthy, Katie Leinenbach
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Bureau of Economic Research
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Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Facility Access and Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Analyzes how openings of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) facilities were associated with PCI access and mortality between 2011 and 2022 using California HCAI patient discharge, emergency department, and ambulatory surgery datasets. See Table for a comparison of rural and non-rural communities' access to PCI within 30 minutes at baseline.
Author(s): Yu-Chu Shen, Renee Y. Hsia
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2638687
Date: 10/2026
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Analyzes how openings of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) facilities were associated with PCI access and mortality between 2011 and 2022 using California HCAI patient discharge, emergency department, and ambulatory surgery datasets. See Table for a comparison of rural and non-rural communities' access to PCI within 30 minutes at baseline.
Author(s): Yu-Chu Shen, Renee Y. Hsia
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2638687
Date: 10/2026
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Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Use, Facility Mammography Volume, and Timely Follow-Up After Abnormal Screening Mammograms in Appalachia, United States
Explores the effect of facility-level characteristics, such as rural versus urban location, and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) use on post-screening follow-up times in rural versus urban areas in Appalachia. Breaks down data by facility volume and individual patient characteristics that are associated with follow-up delay.
Author(s): Silas Selorm Daniels-Donkor, Fabian T. Camacho, Gloribel Bonilla, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70229
Date: 10/2026
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Explores the effect of facility-level characteristics, such as rural versus urban location, and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) use on post-screening follow-up times in rural versus urban areas in Appalachia. Breaks down data by facility volume and individual patient characteristics that are associated with follow-up delay.
Author(s): Silas Selorm Daniels-Donkor, Fabian T. Camacho, Gloribel Bonilla, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70229
Date: 10/2026
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