April 5, 2017
In July 17, 2015, a drone delivered medicine to the RAM – Wise Health Expedition, an outreach event in Wise County, VA. This historic flight may lead to other applications of drones in rural health, such as search and rescue, mosquito spraying, and more deliveries of needed supplies.
March 22, 2017
Resistant bacteria, or "superbugs," are a cause of major medical illness and death. Government and accreditation agencies, as well as infectious disease experts, believe hospital antibiotic stewardship programs are the answer to blunting the impact and development of these germs. Despite limited resources, rural and Critical Access Hospitals are activating their stewardship programs.
March 15, 2017
Oral health training programs are equipping Community Health Workers on Navajo Nation, Texas colonias, and Maryland's Appalachian communities to improve access to dental care and teach people how to take care of their teeth.
March 1, 2017
Nearly 1 in 5 American adults have a diagnosable mental or behavioral disorder. By supporting 16 nonprofit agencies, the Vermont Care Network facilitates the provision of services for this population. Nearly 50,000 Vermont residents have access to behavioral health and developmental disability services through their efforts.
February 22, 2017
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will focus on rural health issues in a special series of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) that will run throughout 2017. Learn about the impetus for the series, topics that will be featured, and upcoming webinars to share findings from the series.
February 8, 2017
Karen McNeil-Miller shares how the Colorado Health Foundation is increasing its focus on the health of rural communities and the importance of listening to and collaborating with the communities in that endeavor.
January 25, 2017
Tea Time with Teens is a South Carolina program that taps into the area's traditions to lower the teen pregnancy rate. While bonding over tea with the women of the community, girls learn how to make healthy decisions and become more confident, capable leaders.
January 11, 2017
Due to barriers like cost and staffing, many rural healthcare facilities' information systems are susceptible to malware attacks such as ransomware. South Peninsula Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Homer, Alaska, uses an IT staff of six to monitor threats and train coworkers on how to safeguard their hospital's information.
December 14, 2016
Rural programs across the country rely on service or therapy animals to help people with mobility, motor skills, and mood. Come meet the service dogs of Hawaii, the therapeutic riding horses of Wyoming, and the therapy pig and tortoise who call a skilled nursing facility home in Florida.
November 30, 2016
First conceptualized in the 1970s, but not widely adopted in rural communities, freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs) have been getting another look as a sustainable rural option. This article discusses hospital-based versus independent FSEDs, the model's financial viability, and highlights two FSEDs meeting their communities' healthcare needs in Arizona and Illinois.
