Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Telepharmacy Rules and Statutes: A 3-Year Update for all 50 States
Surveys the legislative and administrative activity authorizing community-based telepharmacy. Includes a table identifying states that have permitted telepharmacy services through legislation, regulation, or waiver or pilot programs, and states with limitations, prohibitions, or no guidance on these services. Provides an overview of state rules and regulations that limit aspects of telepharmacy implementation. Explores areas for further research and evaluation, including the relationship between telepharmacy and rural pharmacy closures.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Surveys the legislative and administrative activity authorizing community-based telepharmacy. Includes a table identifying states that have permitted telepharmacy services through legislation, regulation, or waiver or pilot programs, and states with limitations, prohibitions, or no guidance on these services. Provides an overview of state rules and regulations that limit aspects of telepharmacy implementation. Explores areas for further research and evaluation, including the relationship between telepharmacy and rural pharmacy closures.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient PPS and the Long-term Care Hospital PPS for FY 2021
Comments on a May 29, 2020, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Discusses proposals to use commercial insurer data to set Medicare severity–diagnosis related group (MS–DRG) relative weights and adopt changes to geographic area delineations to establish hospital wage indexes for the IPPS and LTCH PPS.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on a May 29, 2020, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Discusses proposals to use commercial insurer data to set Medicare severity–diagnosis related group (MS–DRG) relative weights and adopt changes to geographic area delineations to establish hospital wage indexes for the IPPS and LTCH PPS.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Update: COVID-19 Among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities ― United States, April-May 2020
Provides data from 28 states on the number of meat and poultry processing facilities affected by COVID-19, characteristics of affected workers, and COVID-19–associated deaths among workers. Data on cases and deaths through May 31, 2020 were obtained from 239 affected facilities. Also describes interventions and prevention efforts at these facilities.
Author(s): Michelle A. Waltenburg, Tristan Victoroff, Charles E. Rose, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(27), 887-892
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Provides data from 28 states on the number of meat and poultry processing facilities affected by COVID-19, characteristics of affected workers, and COVID-19–associated deaths among workers. Data on cases and deaths through May 31, 2020 were obtained from 239 affected facilities. Also describes interventions and prevention efforts at these facilities.
Author(s): Michelle A. Waltenburg, Tristan Victoroff, Charles E. Rose, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(27), 887-892
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Modest Improvement in Nonmetro Population Change During the Decade Masks Larger Geographic Shifts
Reports on trends in nonmetro population change, looking at natural change due to births compared to deaths, as well as net migration. Identifies a shift to low natural change. Highlights geographic variation in nonmetro population change during the past decade.
Author(s): John Cromartie
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on trends in nonmetro population change, looking at natural change due to births compared to deaths, as well as net migration. Identifies a shift to low natural change. Highlights geographic variation in nonmetro population change during the past decade.
Author(s): John Cromartie
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Pennsylvania Hospital Transitions HRSA-Funded Program to Online Services and Addresses COVID-19 Stress
Features Butler Memorial Hospital and how it adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights the switch to online delivery for a chronic disease project funded by a HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach grant. Also describes initiatives to address healthcare workforce stress, help patients use tablets to visit with loved ones, and distribute healthy food to the community.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features Butler Memorial Hospital and how it adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights the switch to online delivery for a chronic disease project funded by a HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach grant. Also describes initiatives to address healthcare workforce stress, help patients use tablets to visit with loved ones, and distribute healthy food to the community.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Supporting the Health and Wellbeing of Middle-Aged Adults Living Alone in Rural Counties
Results of a study exploring the characteristics of adults ages 35-64 who live alone, and the heightened health risks and challenges related to social isolation, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Uses data from a survey of 14 healthcare providers in rural counties with a high percentage of middle-aged adults living alone. Features a county-level map with breakdowns by percentage of people living alone in rural areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mariana Tuttle, Ashley Hernandez, Jonathan Schroeder, Katy Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study exploring the characteristics of adults ages 35-64 who live alone, and the heightened health risks and challenges related to social isolation, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Uses data from a survey of 14 healthcare providers in rural counties with a high percentage of middle-aged adults living alone. Features a county-level map with breakdowns by percentage of people living alone in rural areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mariana Tuttle, Ashley Hernandez, Jonathan Schroeder, Katy Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Innovative Health Care Provider Roles
Discusses healthcare provider types that might have the potential to benefit rural communities including community health workers, community paramedics, patient advocates, health coaches, and dental therapists.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Discusses healthcare provider types that might have the potential to benefit rural communities including community health workers, community paramedics, patient advocates, health coaches, and dental therapists.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Widening Rural-Urban Cardiometabolic Mortality Gap in the United States, 1999 to 2017
Examines mortality related to cardiometabolic disease in rural and urban populations of the United States. Utilizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) from 1999 to 2017 to provide statistics on heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes mortality by race, sex, and rurality.
Author(s): Nilay S. Shah, Mercedes Carnethon, Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, Sadiya S. Khan
Citation: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 75(25), 3187-3188
Date: 06/2020
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Examines mortality related to cardiometabolic disease in rural and urban populations of the United States. Utilizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) from 1999 to 2017 to provide statistics on heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes mortality by race, sex, and rurality.
Author(s): Nilay S. Shah, Mercedes Carnethon, Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, Sadiya S. Khan
Citation: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 75(25), 3187-3188
Date: 06/2020
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Repeat Annual Colorectal Cancer Screening in Rural Community Clinics: A Randomized Clinical Trial to Evaluate Outreach Strategies to Sustain Screening
Analyzes the effectiveness of outreach strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in rural areas. Examines 568 participants ages 50-75 and tracks screening rates with Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kits after receiving a personal or automated call by a prevention counselor. Includes demographic breakdowns of participants and discusses intervention strategies to improve CRC screening in rural areas.
Author(s): Terry C. Davis, Alfred Rademaker, James Morris, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(3), 307-315
Date: 06/2020
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Analyzes the effectiveness of outreach strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in rural areas. Examines 568 participants ages 50-75 and tracks screening rates with Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kits after receiving a personal or automated call by a prevention counselor. Includes demographic breakdowns of participants and discusses intervention strategies to improve CRC screening in rural areas.
Author(s): Terry C. Davis, Alfred Rademaker, James Morris, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(3), 307-315
Date: 06/2020
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The Impact of Medicare's Rural Add-on Payments on Supply of Home Health Agencies Serving Rural Counties
Examines how Medicare rural add-on payments affected the number of home health agencies serving rural counties between 2002-2017. Compares the population-adjusted number of home health agencies in urban, urban-adjacent non-urban-adjacent rural counties during periods with add-on payments and without add-on payments. Discusses implications for revised and future add-on payments to maintain or increase the supply of rural home health agencies.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Davis G. Patterson, Bianca K. Frogner
Citation: Health Affairs, 39(6), 949-957
Date: 06/2020
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Examines how Medicare rural add-on payments affected the number of home health agencies serving rural counties between 2002-2017. Compares the population-adjusted number of home health agencies in urban, urban-adjacent non-urban-adjacent rural counties during periods with add-on payments and without add-on payments. Discusses implications for revised and future add-on payments to maintain or increase the supply of rural home health agencies.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Davis G. Patterson, Bianca K. Frogner
Citation: Health Affairs, 39(6), 949-957
Date: 06/2020
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