Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.
Trends and Disparities in Pandemic Telehealth Use among People with Disabilities
Examines the use of telehealth services by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by analyzing data from the Medicare Telehealth Trends Dashboard; the 2021 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and MCBS Winter 2021 Supplement; and the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey data from July 21, 2021, to August 8, 2022. Presents data on patterns of telehealth utilization by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by type of Medicare eligibility and number and type of disabilities, modes of telehealth used by the number and type of disabilities, and the availability of different modes of telehealth and access to video-enabled services. Exhibit 8 compares telehealth utilization trends among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 2019 and 2021 by Medicare eligibility and rural and urban status.
Author(s): Madjid Karimi, Lok Wong Samson, Sara J. Couture, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the use of telehealth services by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by analyzing data from the Medicare Telehealth Trends Dashboard; the 2021 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and MCBS Winter 2021 Supplement; and the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey data from July 21, 2021, to August 8, 2022. Presents data on patterns of telehealth utilization by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by type of Medicare eligibility and number and type of disabilities, modes of telehealth used by the number and type of disabilities, and the availability of different modes of telehealth and access to video-enabled services. Exhibit 8 compares telehealth utilization trends among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 2019 and 2021 by Medicare eligibility and rural and urban status.
Author(s): Madjid Karimi, Lok Wong Samson, Sara J. Couture, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Telephone-Based Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Optimization in Navajo Nation: The Hózhó Randomized Clinical Trial
Explores whether a guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is initiated and titrated through telehealth improves GDMT use among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Navajo Nation. Summarizes results of a stepped-wedge, pragmatic comparative effectiveness trial conducted from February to August 2023 at two Indian Health Service facilities in rural Navajo Nation. Discusses the importance of community-designed and locally-tailored strategies to improve GDMT rates.
Author(s): Lauren A. Eberly, Ada Tennison, Daniel Mays, et al.
Citation: JAMA Internal Medicine, 184(6), 681-690
Date: 04/2024
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Explores whether a guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is initiated and titrated through telehealth improves GDMT use among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Navajo Nation. Summarizes results of a stepped-wedge, pragmatic comparative effectiveness trial conducted from February to August 2023 at two Indian Health Service facilities in rural Navajo Nation. Discusses the importance of community-designed and locally-tailored strategies to improve GDMT rates.
Author(s): Lauren A. Eberly, Ada Tennison, Daniel Mays, et al.
Citation: JAMA Internal Medicine, 184(6), 681-690
Date: 04/2024
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, Austin, Texas, April 9-11, 2024
Summarizes the 94th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Austin, Texas. Presents an overview of the meeting's two areas of focus: 1) innovation and technology in rural health and human services and 2) expanding quality reporting and benchmarking in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Summarizes the 94th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Austin, Texas. Presents an overview of the meeting's two areas of focus: 1) innovation and technology in rural health and human services and 2) expanding quality reporting and benchmarking in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Primary Care Providers' Experiences Treating Opioid Use Disorder Using Telehealth in the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presents a study of the experiences of primary care providers who used telehealth for opioid use disorder treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Draws on the insights of participants from rural and urban counties in Kentucky and Arkansas and compares the experiences of rural and urban providers.
Author(s): Sarah Alexandra Marshall, Lachan E. Siebenmorgen, Nickolas Zaller, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, 15
Date: 04/2024
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Presents a study of the experiences of primary care providers who used telehealth for opioid use disorder treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Draws on the insights of participants from rural and urban counties in Kentucky and Arkansas and compares the experiences of rural and urban providers.
Author(s): Sarah Alexandra Marshall, Lachan E. Siebenmorgen, Nickolas Zaller, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, 15
Date: 04/2024
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Coast Guard Health Care: Information on Telehealth Usage
Describes how the Coast Guard uses telehealth to provide medical care to its active duty personnel. Discusses the development of the Coast Guard's telehealth program, services offered, the extent to which video telehealth services are used, and benefits and challenges the Coast Guard experiences related to telehealth.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes how the Coast Guard uses telehealth to provide medical care to its active duty personnel. Discusses the development of the Coast Guard's telehealth program, services offered, the extent to which video telehealth services are used, and benefits and challenges the Coast Guard experiences related to telehealth.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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What Happens to Rural Hospitals During a Ransomware Attack? Evidence from Medicare Data
Explores the effects of ransomware attacks on hospital operations. Analyzes data from the Tracking Healthcare Ransomware Events and Traits (THREAT) database, which includes information for every hospital identified as experiencing a ransomware attack between 2016 and 2021, and linked to Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims data. Compares the characteristics of rural and urban hospitals that experienced a ransomware attack. Describes the impact of ransomware attacks on rural and urban inpatient admissions, outpatient and emergency room visit volume, and travel distance and time to the next closest hospital not experiencing an attack.
Author(s): Hannah T. Neprash, Claire C. McGlave, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 728-737
Date: 03/2024
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Explores the effects of ransomware attacks on hospital operations. Analyzes data from the Tracking Healthcare Ransomware Events and Traits (THREAT) database, which includes information for every hospital identified as experiencing a ransomware attack between 2016 and 2021, and linked to Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims data. Compares the characteristics of rural and urban hospitals that experienced a ransomware attack. Describes the impact of ransomware attacks on rural and urban inpatient admissions, outpatient and emergency room visit volume, and travel distance and time to the next closest hospital not experiencing an attack.
Author(s): Hannah T. Neprash, Claire C. McGlave, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 728-737
Date: 03/2024
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Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Grantee Directory, 2023-2024
Provides contact information and brief overviews for 71 initiatives across eight grant programs administered by the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth in the 2024 funding year.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
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Provides contact information and brief overviews for 71 initiatives across eight grant programs administered by the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth in the 2024 funding year.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
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Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP) Performance Improvement and Measurement System (PIMS): Summary Report for Program Year 3 (September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2023)
Summarizes findings from the first three years of the 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP), which aims to promote tele-emergency services by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour emergency department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Presents data on grantee network characteristics, the number of originating and distant sites, specialty areas, averted transfers, ED and hospital readmissions, other uses of the telehealth network, and more.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
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Summarizes findings from the first three years of the 2020-2024 Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP), which aims to promote tele-emergency services by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour emergency department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Presents data on grantee network characteristics, the number of originating and distant sites, specialty areas, averted transfers, ED and hospital readmissions, other uses of the telehealth network, and more.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
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ACP Consumer Survey
Survey of 5,317 Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) households to measure the impact of ACP participation on internet access and affordability. Includes rural breakdown of data and access to healthcare data.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Federal Communications Commission
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Survey of 5,317 Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) households to measure the impact of ACP participation on internet access and affordability. Includes rural breakdown of data and access to healthcare data.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Federal Communications Commission
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Assessing the Acceptability and Feasibility of Remote Spirometric Monitoring for Rural Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease: A Multimethod Approach
Examines the acceptability and feasibility of utilizing telemonitoring for rural lung disease patients who have limited access to hospital-based tests. Analyzes home-based spirometry use of 20 rural patients and provides patient feedback on satisfaction of using telehealth to complete remote monitoring of lung disease.
Author(s): Ryan D. Boente, Sydney Schacht, Rebecca Borton, et al.
Citation: Respiratory Research, 25, 92
Date: 02/2024
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Examines the acceptability and feasibility of utilizing telemonitoring for rural lung disease patients who have limited access to hospital-based tests. Analyzes home-based spirometry use of 20 rural patients and provides patient feedback on satisfaction of using telehealth to complete remote monitoring of lung disease.
Author(s): Ryan D. Boente, Sydney Schacht, Rebecca Borton, et al.
Citation: Respiratory Research, 25, 92
Date: 02/2024
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