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Rural Health Information Hub

Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.

Hospital Capabilities to Enable Patient Electronic Access to Health Information, 2021
Data brief examining 2021 national estimates of rates of U.S. hospitals enabling patient electronic access to health information, presenting findings for small, Critical Access, rural, and independent hospitals. Analyzes data from the 2021 AHA Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement.
Author(s): Wesley Barker, Dustin Charles
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Interoperability Among Office-Based Physicians in 2019
Report presenting survey data on health information technology (HIT) interoperability among office-based physicians as of 2019. Describes rates of physicians engaging in health information exchange (HIE), reported benefits and barriers, electronic exchange rates broken down by characteristics, including rural location, and other data comparisons.
Author(s): Yuriy Pylypchuk, Jordan Everson, Dustin Charles, Vaishali Patel
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Tribal Broadband: National Strategy and Coordination Framework Needed to Increase Access
Provides an overview of federal programs that support the deployment of broadband infrastructure on tribal lands and the extent to which federal agencies focus on tribal issues related to broadband access. Discusses barriers tribes and providers face in accessing these federally-funded programs. Providers recommendations for the Executive Office of the President and the Department of Commerce to address tribal needs and engagement in a national broadband strategy.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Higher Electronic Health Record Functionality Is Associated with Lower Operating Costs in Urban—but Not Rural—Hospitals
Explores the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality and hospital operating costs. Examines the effects of different categories of EHR functionality on general, inpatient, and outpatient costs. Compares the relationship between EHR functionality and operating costs across urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 665-676
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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A New Era of Health Literacy? Expanded Definitions, Digital Influences, and Rural Inequities
Explores rural challenges to accessing health information that is clear and usable, with insights from experts. Describes recently expanded definitions of health literacy. Discusses digital health literacy and the importance of broadband access and digital health tools for rural residents.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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How States Use ARPA Funds to Support Telehealth, Technology and Data Infrastructure
Interactive map displaying how states used a one-time increase in the federal medical assistance program (FMAP) for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) through March 31, 2022, to support telehealth service delivery, technology-based innovations, and data infrastructure building opportunities.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Use of Electronic Health Records to Manage Tobacco Screening and Treatment in Rural Primary Care
Study examining the benefits of using electronic health records (EHR) in addressing tobacco dependence by primary care providers, comparing rural and urban data from the 2012-2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Discusses the utility of EHR and barriers to EHR adoption in rural practices, and offers data tables covering patient characteristics and statistics related to primary care visits and smoking cessation.
Author(s): Jean A. Talbot, Erika C. Ziller, Carly M. Milkowski
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Higher Electronic Health Record (EHR) Functionality Lowers Urban Hospital Costs but Rural Impacts Are Minimal
Examines the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) functionality and hospital costs. Compares the effect of increasing EHR functionality in urban and rural hospitals and by inpatient and outpatient service categories.
Author(s): Claudia Alejandra Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Some Digital Divides Persist Between Rural, Urban, and Suburban America
Highlights differences in broadband access and digital technology adoption, such as smart phone, tablet, or computer, between rural, urban and suburban residents of the U.S.
Author(s): Emily Vogels
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Hospital Capabilities to Enable Patient Electronic Access to Health Information, 2019
Reports on the percentage of U.S. hospitals that provide patients with electronic access to health information. Includes charts comparing types of electronic access; facility type including Critical Access, rural, and suburban-urban hospitals; and what types of information patients access.
Author(s): Christian Johnson, Wesley Barker
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Last Updated: 2/2/2024