Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare.
Impacts of Telehealth on Rural Health Care Access
Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payors, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payors, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Technology Innovation Supporting Access to Rural Health and Human Services: Possibilities and Encouraging Further Investments
Describes the potential of technological innovation to improve access to rural healthcare and human services and the challenges of attracting new technology to rural and tribal areas. Summarizes themes and policy considerations that emerged from the April 2024 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Health and Human Services on this topic. Offers policy recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services related to supporting technological innovation and solutions for rural health.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organizations: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, Rural Policy Research Institute
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Describes the potential of technological innovation to improve access to rural healthcare and human services and the challenges of attracting new technology to rural and tribal areas. Summarizes themes and policy considerations that emerged from the April 2024 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Health and Human Services on this topic. Offers policy recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services related to supporting technological innovation and solutions for rural health.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organizations: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, Rural Policy Research Institute
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Telehealth: 2025 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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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
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
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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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
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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
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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
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
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
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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
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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
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
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
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
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
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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
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Last Updated: 4/11/2025