Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.
Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (CMS-1832-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; improving care for chronic illness and behavioral health needs; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, services requiring direct supervision, and telecommunication services; and more.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; improving care for chronic illness and behavioral health needs; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, services requiring direct supervision, and telecommunication services; and more.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2025
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2025. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2025. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Medicare Waiver Expiration & Telehealth FAQs
Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the expiration of Medicare telehealth waivers on September 30, 2025. Covers in-person visit requirements, billing procedures, and the applicability of policies across different care settings, including Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Additional links: Chart: Telehealth Medicare Post-September 30, 2025
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the expiration of Medicare telehealth waivers on September 30, 2025. Covers in-person visit requirements, billing procedures, and the applicability of policies across different care settings, including Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Additional links: Chart: Telehealth Medicare Post-September 30, 2025
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Technological Innovation in Rural Health and Human Services Spaces, with Dan Shane
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Dan Shane, Associate Professor with the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis. Focuses opportunities for applying technological advances in rural health and human services, potential challenges, and future avenues of development.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Dan Shane, Associate Professor with the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis. Focuses opportunities for applying technological advances in rural health and human services, potential challenges, and future avenues of development.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Creation of a Telehealth Addiction Consultation Service at a Rural Hospital: A Case Study
Details the implementation and evaluation of the Community Addiction Consult (CAC) service, which facilitated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and provided other supports for hospital-based addiction care via telehealth consultations by community, non-hospital clinicians in rural Massachusetts. Highlights the significance of the CAC model as a support for improving access to hospital-based substance use disorder treatment in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel Katz, Tiarra Fisher, Talia Singer-Clark, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 76
Date: 09/2025
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Details the implementation and evaluation of the Community Addiction Consult (CAC) service, which facilitated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and provided other supports for hospital-based addiction care via telehealth consultations by community, non-hospital clinicians in rural Massachusetts. Highlights the significance of the CAC model as a support for improving access to hospital-based substance use disorder treatment in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel Katz, Tiarra Fisher, Talia Singer-Clark, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 76
Date: 09/2025
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Hospital Trends in the Use, Evaluation, and Governance of Predictive AI, 2023-2024
Describes trends in the foundational use, evaluation, and governance of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) in hospitals using data from the 2023 and 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology (IT) supplement. Presents data on the differences in acute care hospitals' use of predictive AI by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, independent/system affiliation, and electronic health record (EHR) vendor.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Describes trends in the foundational use, evaluation, and governance of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) in hospitals using data from the 2023 and 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology (IT) supplement. Presents data on the differences in acute care hospitals' use of predictive AI by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, independent/system affiliation, and electronic health record (EHR) vendor.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Telemedicine Buprenorphine Access For Incarcerated People: Lessons Learned From Maryland's Rural Jails
Explores the lessons learned form implementing a telemedicine-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in rural Maryland jails. Highlights the challenges and opportunities expanding, establishing, and implementing buprenorphine treatment via tele-medicine. Draws conclusions for future interventions.
Author(s): Max Spaderna, Annabelle M. Belcher, Chris Welsh, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(9), 1131-1137
Date: 09/2025
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Explores the lessons learned form implementing a telemedicine-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in rural Maryland jails. Highlights the challenges and opportunities expanding, establishing, and implementing buprenorphine treatment via tele-medicine. Draws conclusions for future interventions.
Author(s): Max Spaderna, Annabelle M. Belcher, Chris Welsh, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(9), 1131-1137
Date: 09/2025
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Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond
Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Growth of Health IT-Enabled Patient Engagement Capabilities Among U.S. Hospitals: 2021-2024
Describes hospital trends regarding the adoption of capabilities that enable patient access to their electronic health information, including the ability to view, download, transmit, and import data from other organizations into their patient portal; view clinical notes; and access information through apps between 2021-2024. Presents data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of hospitals that app-based and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource® (FHIR)-enabled patient engagement capabilities.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Priscilla Owusu-Mensah, Catherine Strawley
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Describes hospital trends regarding the adoption of capabilities that enable patient access to their electronic health information, including the ability to view, download, transmit, and import data from other organizations into their patient portal; view clinical notes; and access information through apps between 2021-2024. Presents data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of hospitals that app-based and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource® (FHIR)-enabled patient engagement capabilities.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Priscilla Owusu-Mensah, Catherine Strawley
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Medicare Telehealth Trends Report
Describes the trends of telehealth utilization among Medicare beneficiaries between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2025. Presents data on the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries that used a telehealth service by calendar quarter and by Medicaid eligibility, type of Medicare eligibility, demographic characteristics, and rural/urban residence.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes the trends of telehealth utilization among Medicare beneficiaries between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2025. Presents data on the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries that used a telehealth service by calendar quarter and by Medicaid eligibility, type of Medicare eligibility, demographic characteristics, and rural/urban residence.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Last Updated: 11/3/2025