Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.
What to Know About Medicare Coverage of Telehealth
Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2024, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, fraud, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2024, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, fraud, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan
A guide for federal health information technology (HIT) activities. Outlines four goals and related objectives focused on promoting health and wellness, enhancing the delivery and experience of care, and accelerating research and innovation. Describes how the federal government will use the plan to prioritize resources within federal agencies, align and coordinate federal HIT initiatives, signal priorities to the private sector, and benchmark and assess the progress of federal HIT initiatives.
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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A guide for federal health information technology (HIT) activities. Outlines four goals and related objectives focused on promoting health and wellness, enhancing the delivery and experience of care, and accelerating research and innovation. Describes how the federal government will use the plan to prioritize resources within federal agencies, align and coordinate federal HIT initiatives, signal priorities to the private sector, and benchmark and assess the progress of federal HIT initiatives.
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Lessons for Future Pandemics: Temporal Evolution and Rural-Urban Variations in the Impacts of the COVID-19 on Opioid Use Treatment
Presents a study highlighting the lessons learned from opioid use treatment programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the impact of the pandemic on treatment services. Discusses the use of telehealth for both counseling and medication prescribing, as well as the challenges faced by patients trying to obtain treatment during the pandemic.
Author(s): Zhongyang He, Jonathan M. Heess, Travis Young, Zhen Lei
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(9), e0310386
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Presents a study highlighting the lessons learned from opioid use treatment programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the impact of the pandemic on treatment services. Discusses the use of telehealth for both counseling and medication prescribing, as well as the challenges faced by patients trying to obtain treatment during the pandemic.
Author(s): Zhongyang He, Jonathan M. Heess, Travis Young, Zhen Lei
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(9), e0310386
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Communications and Technology Subcommittee Hearing: "From Introduction to Implementation: A BEAD Program Progress Report"
Recording of a September 10, 2024, House Energy & Commerce Committee Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing on the status and progress of implementing the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Features testimony from Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association.
Additional links: Shirley Bloomfield, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association - Testimony
Date: 09/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Recording of a September 10, 2024, House Energy & Commerce Committee Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing on the status and progress of implementing the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Features testimony from Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association.
Additional links: Shirley Bloomfield, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association - Testimony
Date: 09/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication to Improve Rural Health: A Systematic Review
Provides a literature review of trials and observational studies focused on telehealth-supported provider-to-provider collaboration to improve rural population health. Includes 2010-2021 search results of available telehealth studies and focuses on themes such as use, effectiveness, and implementation.
Author(s): Annette M Totten, Dana M Womack, Jessica C Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 30(8), 1209-1363
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Provides a literature review of trials and observational studies focused on telehealth-supported provider-to-provider collaboration to improve rural population health. Includes 2010-2021 search results of available telehealth studies and focuses on themes such as use, effectiveness, and implementation.
Author(s): Annette M Totten, Dana M Womack, Jessica C Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 30(8), 1209-1363
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Medicare Billing for Telehealth Encounters: An Introductory Guide on Fee-for-Service
Presents an overview of how to bill fee-for-service Medicare and Medicaid for telehealth encounters. Includes information on originating and distant sites, virtual healthcare, and coding telehealth services. Lists types of practice sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and implications for billing telehealth services. Provides contact information for Regional Telehealth Research Centers (RTRC).
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Presents an overview of how to bill fee-for-service Medicare and Medicaid for telehealth encounters. Includes information on originating and distant sites, virtual healthcare, and coding telehealth services. Lists types of practice sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and implications for billing telehealth services. Provides contact information for Regional Telehealth Research Centers (RTRC).
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Research Insights: How Do Ransomware Attacks Impact Rural Hospitals?
Provides an overview of a study regarding the likelihood of ransomware attacks on, and the degree to which such attacks result in operational disruptions at, urban and rural hospitals. Describes how the findings of this study can inform cybersecurity regulations and protocols in rural settings.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation
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Provides an overview of a study regarding the likelihood of ransomware attacks on, and the degree to which such attacks result in operational disruptions at, urban and rural hospitals. Describes how the findings of this study can inform cybersecurity regulations and protocols in rural settings.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation
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Use of Telehealth to Improve Healthcare Access and Outcomes in Surgical Oncology
Explores the role of telehealth in improving healthcare access and outcomes in surgical oncology. Discusses geographic barriers to surgical oncology interventions how telehealth can help mitigate barriers to access. Highlights strategies to improve telehealth access and adoption.
Author(s): Elliot A. Asare, Lauren Cowan, Tracy Onega
Citation: Journal of Surgical Oncology
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Explores the role of telehealth in improving healthcare access and outcomes in surgical oncology. Discusses geographic barriers to surgical oncology interventions how telehealth can help mitigate barriers to access. Highlights strategies to improve telehealth access and adoption.
Author(s): Elliot A. Asare, Lauren Cowan, Tracy Onega
Citation: Journal of Surgical Oncology
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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The Cross-State Licensure Continuum: Out-of-State Telehealth Provider Policies
Provides an overview of policy alternatives to full in-state licensure for telehealth providers adopted by states. Describes limited licensure exceptions, telehealth license or registration processes, and interstate licensure compacts, as well as limitations to these policies. Includes a chart indicating which, if any, policies and compacts each state has implemented.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Provides an overview of policy alternatives to full in-state licensure for telehealth providers adopted by states. Describes limited licensure exceptions, telehealth license or registration processes, and interstate licensure compacts, as well as limitations to these policies. Includes a chart indicating which, if any, policies and compacts each state has implemented.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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2024 Public Health Informatics Profile: An Assessment of Informatics Capacity among Local Health Departments
Results of a national survey of local health departments (LHDs) on public health informatics challenges and opportunities. Provides data on informatics workforce, informatics infrastructure and use, data modernization, data systems and interoperability, and artificial intelligence (AI). Includes comparisons of small, medium, and large LHDs throughout.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Meghan Shea, Gelila Tamrat, et al.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Results of a national survey of local health departments (LHDs) on public health informatics challenges and opportunities. Provides data on informatics workforce, informatics infrastructure and use, data modernization, data systems and interoperability, and artificial intelligence (AI). Includes comparisons of small, medium, and large LHDs throughout.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Meghan Shea, Gelila Tamrat, et al.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 10/9/2024