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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Addressing the Social Determinants of Health: The Role of Health Professions Education: Thirteenth Annual Report to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Congress of the United States
Includes recommendations for redesign of health professional training to meet needs of an aging and diverse population, to become more team-based and interprofessional, and to prepare students to serve in rural and underserved communities.
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
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Suicide Prevention in Indian Country
A fact sheet describing suicide prevention in Indian Country, and how the 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention can align with tribal communities.
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Community Paramedic Toolkit
Toolkit for ambulance services, hospitals, and others considering the development or expansion of a community paramedicine program in Minnesota. Includes program planning, education and training, financing, and models of care, among other discussions.
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Case Studies of 6 Teledentistry Programs: Strategies to Increase Access to General and Specialty Dental Services
Describes the delivery of teledentistry services by six provider organizations with different organizational structures. Discusses teledentistry as a method for improving rural access to oral health services. Identifies common themes, including the benefits of and barriers to teledentistry.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Margaret Langelier, Carol Rodat, Jean Moore
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2013 Emergency Department Summary Tables
Provides data on ambulatory care emergency department hospital visits. Table 1 includes brief metro/non-metro overview information, and Table 14 has metro/non-metro injury visit data.
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation: Report to Congress
Details the activities and progress of the CMS Innovation Center, focusing on the time period between October 1, 2014, and September 30, 2016. Includes updates on multiple rural-relevant models and initiatives such as the Accountable Care Organization Investment Model, Health Care Innovation Awards, and the Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative.
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Newborn Screening Timeliness: Most States Had Not Met Screening Goals, but Some Are Developing Strategies to Address Barriers
Discusses the processes, strategies, and organizations involved in testing newborns for heritable diseases. Uses data provided by 38 states from 2012 to 2015 addressing how well states are meeting the recommended time frames. Examines barriers to timely testing and how courier services are helping some rural hospitals shorten specimen transport times, thereby reducing the time it takes to obtain full test results.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Supporting the Development of Young Children in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities Who Are Affected by Alcohol and Substance Exposure
Policy statement providing recommendations that promote the early development of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children who have been exposed to alcohol and substance abuse during pregnancy or early childhood. Discusses best practices and reviews promising strategies that tribal early childhood programs can use to support children's development and wellness. Also points out health disparities that exist between tribes and the general U.S. population, and uses case studies to show where success has been achieved in reducing the destructive effects of substance abuse.
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Report to Congress: Social Risk Factors and Performance Under Medicare's Value-Based Purchasing Program
Uses Medicare data to examine the relationship between social risk factors and the performance of value-based purchasing programs. Discusses policy considerations that could help ensure value-based purchasing programs achieve their intended results, especially among high social risk populations. Categorizes rurality as a community risk factor and discusses whether beneficiaries with social risk factors such as rurality have worse outcomes due to their social risk profile, or because of the providers they see. Also provides rural-specific statistics and recommendations for using value-based purchasing to improve health outcomes among high social risk populations. Appendices summarize and provide additional details for each of the 9 programs evaluated. See the second report.
Additional links: Appendices
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Resurgence of Progressive Massive Fibrosis in Coal Miners--Eastern Kentucky, 2016
Describes a sharp increase in cases of Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF) from January 2015 through August 2016, as reported by a radiologist treating 60 former or active coal miners in rural central Appalachia. Includes a chart showing percentages of miners with 25 or more years underground work experience in that region who were diagnosed with PMF from 1970-2016.
Author(s): David J. Blackley, James B. Crum, Cara N. Halldin, Eileen Storey, A. Scott Laney
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 65(49), 1385-1389
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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