Healthcare Access in Rural Communities – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Healthcare Access in Rural Communities.
Distance as an Obstacle to Clinical Trial Access: Who Is Affected and Why It Matters
Evaluates factors associated with geographic remoteness of 60 miles or more from the nearest phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for a variety of health conditions. Discusses American Indian reservations and rural areas, and provides data on demographic factors associated with remoteness including race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty. Includes a county-level interactive map of clinical trial remoteness for health conditions including cancers, substance use disorder, diabetes, obesity, COPD, stroke, and more. Requires the creation of a free account to view.
Author(s): Andrew Friedson, Bumyang Kim, Maggie Switek, Lawson Mansell
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: The Milken Institute
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Evaluates factors associated with geographic remoteness of 60 miles or more from the nearest phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for a variety of health conditions. Discusses American Indian reservations and rural areas, and provides data on demographic factors associated with remoteness including race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty. Includes a county-level interactive map of clinical trial remoteness for health conditions including cancers, substance use disorder, diabetes, obesity, COPD, stroke, and more. Requires the creation of a free account to view.
Author(s): Andrew Friedson, Bumyang Kim, Maggie Switek, Lawson Mansell
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: The Milken Institute
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Racial and Ethnic and Rural Variations in Access to Primary Care for Veterans Following the MISSION Act
Examines the impact of the 2018 Veterans Affairs Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (VA MISSION) Act to provide veterans with access to primary care. Analyzes VA and community care (CC) outpatient data to observe primary care utilization and wait times across different veteran populations, as well as by rural versus urban location. Discusses how policy can address healthcare access disparities experienced by U.S. veterans.
Author(s): Amy K. Rosen, Erin Beilstein-Wedel, Michael Shwartz, Heather Davila, Deborah Gurewich
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(6)
Date: 06/2024
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Examines the impact of the 2018 Veterans Affairs Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (VA MISSION) Act to provide veterans with access to primary care. Analyzes VA and community care (CC) outpatient data to observe primary care utilization and wait times across different veteran populations, as well as by rural versus urban location. Discusses how policy can address healthcare access disparities experienced by U.S. veterans.
Author(s): Amy K. Rosen, Erin Beilstein-Wedel, Michael Shwartz, Heather Davila, Deborah Gurewich
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(6)
Date: 06/2024
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Updated Analysis: Using Population-Based Outcome Measures to Assess the Impact of Telehealth Expansion on Medicare Beneficiaries' Access to Care and Quality of Care
Explores the association between telehealth use, quality of care, and access to care when both telehealth and in-person visits are available to fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries. Compares data from the second half of 2018 and 2019 to the second half of 2022 by the level of telehealth utilization in Hospital Service Areas (HSAs). Describes the effects of telehealth for urban and rural beneficiaries and differentiates between telehealth utilization for behavioral and non-behavioral health services. Updates a June 2023 report that analyzed data from 2021.
Author(s): Tanvi Rao, Angshuman Gooptu, Karin Johnson, Guido Cataife, Steven Susana-Castillo
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organizations: American Institutes for Research, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Explores the association between telehealth use, quality of care, and access to care when both telehealth and in-person visits are available to fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries. Compares data from the second half of 2018 and 2019 to the second half of 2022 by the level of telehealth utilization in Hospital Service Areas (HSAs). Describes the effects of telehealth for urban and rural beneficiaries and differentiates between telehealth utilization for behavioral and non-behavioral health services. Updates a June 2023 report that analyzed data from 2021.
Author(s): Tanvi Rao, Angshuman Gooptu, Karin Johnson, Guido Cataife, Steven Susana-Castillo
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organizations: American Institutes for Research, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2024
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers approaches for updating fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare's physician fee schedule (PFS) payments and incentivizing participation in alternative payment models; provider networks and prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans; an assessment of the relative completeness of MA encounter data and other data sources; Medicare coverage and payments for medical software; alternate approaches to lower Medicare payment rates for select conditions in inpatient rehabilitation facilities; and Medicare's Acute Hospital Care at Home program. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers approaches for updating fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare's physician fee schedule (PFS) payments and incentivizing participation in alternative payment models; provider networks and prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans; an assessment of the relative completeness of MA encounter data and other data sources; Medicare coverage and payments for medical software; alternate approaches to lower Medicare payment rates for select conditions in inpatient rehabilitation facilities; and Medicare's Acute Hospital Care at Home program. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Association of Uninsured Status and Rurality with Risk of Financial Toxicity after Pediatric Trauma
Analyzes the risk of financial toxicity associated with pediatric traumatic injury for rural versus urban families. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Inpatient Sample patient data. Includes data on financial toxicity associated with uninsured status, rural versus urban insurance type, and rural versus urban demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics.
Author(s): Amulya Vadlakonda, Nam Yong Cho, Nikhil Chervu, et al.
Citation: Surgery, 176(2), 455-461
Date: 05/2024
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Analyzes the risk of financial toxicity associated with pediatric traumatic injury for rural versus urban families. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Inpatient Sample patient data. Includes data on financial toxicity associated with uninsured status, rural versus urban insurance type, and rural versus urban demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics.
Author(s): Amulya Vadlakonda, Nam Yong Cho, Nikhil Chervu, et al.
Citation: Surgery, 176(2), 455-461
Date: 05/2024
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Navigating Geographical Disparities: Access to Obstetric Hospitals in Maternity Care Deserts and Across the United States
Examines disparities related to maternity care access by analyzing travel distances to obstetric care across the United States. Provides data to nearest obstetric hospital by census tract, with further breakdowns according to maternity care desert (MCD) designation, rurality, race/ethnicity, and travel time. Includes U.S. maps showing spatial clusters of distance and travel time to obstetric care.
Author(s): Jazmin Fontenot, Christina Brigance, Ripley Lucas, Ashley Stoneburner
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24, 350
Date: 05/2024
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Examines disparities related to maternity care access by analyzing travel distances to obstetric care across the United States. Provides data to nearest obstetric hospital by census tract, with further breakdowns according to maternity care desert (MCD) designation, rurality, race/ethnicity, and travel time. Includes U.S. maps showing spatial clusters of distance and travel time to obstetric care.
Author(s): Jazmin Fontenot, Christina Brigance, Ripley Lucas, Ashley Stoneburner
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24, 350
Date: 05/2024
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The Future of Broadband Affordability
Presents a recording of a May 2, 2024, hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. Describes federal approaches to increase broadband access and affordability. Discusses the state of broadband affordability programs, the impact of a potential lapse or end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and strategies to address shortfalls in broadband affordability programs.
Additional links: Blair Levin, New Street Research - Testimony, Jennifer Case Nevarez, Community Learning Network - Testimony, Kathryn de Wit, Pew Charitable Trusts - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
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Presents a recording of a May 2, 2024, hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. Describes federal approaches to increase broadband access and affordability. Discusses the state of broadband affordability programs, the impact of a potential lapse or end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and strategies to address shortfalls in broadband affordability programs.
Additional links: Blair Levin, New Street Research - Testimony, Jennifer Case Nevarez, Community Learning Network - Testimony, Kathryn de Wit, Pew Charitable Trusts - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
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Strategies to Eliminate Inequity in PrEP Services in the US South and Rural Communities
Examines novel and promising programs and interventions to potentially improve HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access in the U.S. South and rural communities. Describes ways to normalize, digitalize, and simplify PrEP care.
Author(s): Emiko Kamitani, Yuko Mizuno, Linda J. Koenig
Citation: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 35(2), 153-160
Date: 03/2024
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Examines novel and promising programs and interventions to potentially improve HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access in the U.S. South and rural communities. Describes ways to normalize, digitalize, and simplify PrEP care.
Author(s): Emiko Kamitani, Yuko Mizuno, Linda J. Koenig
Citation: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 35(2), 153-160
Date: 03/2024
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A Lack of Behavioral Health Providers in Medicare and Medicaid Impedes Enrollees' Access to Care
Examines the availability of behavioral health providers who actively serve Medicare or Medicaid enrollees in 20 counties, 10 urban and 10 rural, across 10 states in 2021. Explores the extent to which traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid enrollees received behavioral health services and whether they used telehealth or in-person services. Offers recommendations to encourage more behavioral health providers to serve these enrollees and expand coverage to additional behavioral health provider types. Includes rural and urban comparisons throughout.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines the availability of behavioral health providers who actively serve Medicare or Medicaid enrollees in 20 counties, 10 urban and 10 rural, across 10 states in 2021. Explores the extent to which traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid enrollees received behavioral health services and whether they used telehealth or in-person services. Offers recommendations to encourage more behavioral health providers to serve these enrollees and expand coverage to additional behavioral health provider types. Includes rural and urban comparisons throughout.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Loud and Clear: Improving Access to Hearing Care in Rural America
Discusses barriers to rural hearing care access and the importance of hearing conservation. Features a hearing clinic in South Dakota, a telehealth program in Alaska, and a nationally available agriculture safety program working to address rural hearing care.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses barriers to rural hearing care access and the importance of hearing conservation. Features a hearing clinic in South Dakota, a telehealth program in Alaska, and a nationally available agriculture safety program working to address rural hearing care.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Last Updated: 7/11/2025