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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Health Care Delivery System Reform: Six Policy Imperatives
Presents six recommendations for healthcare delivery system reform in order to improve quality, advance equity, and increase the affordability of healthcare in the United States. Includes specific policy recommendations for small and rural providers throughout.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Substance Use among Rural and Urban Youth and Young Adults
Details substance use of youth aged 12-17 and young adults aged 18-25 in rural and urban areas. Looks specifically on use of alcohol, marijuana, illicit drugs, and the misuse of prescription pain relievers and compares usage trends in rural areas to those in urban areas.
Author(s): Jennifer Lenardson, Nathan Paluso, Erika Ziller
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Risky Substance Use Behaviors Among Adolescents Residing in Non-Metropolitan and Metropolitan Counties in the United States, 2017-2018
Compares the prevalence of risky substance use among people ages 12-17 who are living in rural and urban counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by use within the past year and within the past 30 days, for alcohol, tobacco, and 10 types of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Tyrone F. Borders, Michael D. Singleton, Katherine Youngen
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Puerto Rico Electricity: FEMA and HUD Have Not Approved Long-Term Projects and Need to Implement Recommendations to Address Uncertainties and Enhance Resilience
Report evaluates the response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the damage to Puerto Rico's infrastructure in the three years since hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria hit the island. Bases evaluation on the agencies' response to previous recommendations made by GAO. Discusses the current state of Puerto Rico's electrical grid across the island, including in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Doulas Enhance the Birthing Experience: Brookings Health System, Brookings, SD
Case study profiling Brookings Health System, a rural health system in South Dakota, and its implementation of a free doula program. Discusses the impact of the doula program, patient and staff, satisfaction, lessons learned, and future goals for the program.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Models of Success in Rural Maternity Care: Kearny County Hospital
Profiles the maternity program at Kearny County Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in rural Lakin, Kansas. Describes key features of the program including mission-based recruitment and strong communication. Includes recommendations for emulating this model.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mary Gilbertson
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Evaluating Telehealth Adoption and Related Barriers Among Hospitals Located in Rural and Urban Areas
Study examining telehealth adoption in hospitals, comparing rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan areas using 2018 American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey data. Discusses barriers to telehealth implementation related to health information exchange (HIE) capacity and patient engagement through health information technology (HIT) systems.
Author(s): Jie Chen, Aitalohi Amaize, Deanna Barath
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(4), 801-811
Date: 11/2020
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Overview of Emergency Department Visits Related to Injuries, by Cause of Injury, 2017
Presents statistics on emergency department (ED) visits related to injuries in 2017. Includes the number of ED visits related to each cause of injury; the percentage of visits that resulted in the patient being admitted or transferred to another hospital; rate of ED visit due to injuries by different population characteristics including age, sex, income, and rural status; and the distribution of primary expected payer for ED visits related to injuries.
Author(s): Audrey J. Weiss, Lawrence D. Reid, Marguerite L. Barrett
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Rethinking Rural Health: FY 2020 Year in Review
Provides an overview of Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) programs and activities that have affected rural health and healthcare in fiscal year 2020. Focuses on nine priority areas: COVID-19, maternal health, Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), quality improvement, practitioner engagement, patient empowerment and person-centered care, Medicare and Medicaid payment and policy, models and demonstrations, and telehealth.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Accountable Health Communities Model - Two Rural Participants' Experiences
Describes how two health systems, Ballard Health and Rocky Mountain Health Plan, implemented the Accountable Health Communities Model to address health-related social needs of rural Medicare, Medicaid, and dual-eligible beneficiaries. Discusses challenges each system faced while implementing the model.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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