RHIhub This Week - December 30, 2020
Top 10 Rural Monitor Articles of 2020Articles on COVID-19 concerns, health workforce, dementia, human trafficking, and more made it onto the year's most-read list. |
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Dec 29, 2020 -- Explores the efforts of rural hospitals to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines to staff and their communities. Discusses the differences between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the obstacles to distribution, and small hospitals' strategies to overcome those obstacles. Source: NPR Neurologists Much Tougher to Find in Rural America Dec 29, 2020 -- Summarizes a study that finds neurologists in the U.S. are not evenly spread out, creating a shortage in rural areas and making rural residents less likely to receive specialized care for conditions such as stroke, dementia, and back pain. Describes how telemedicine could extend neurological services to people in rural areas. Source: Health Day Shortage of Nurses Trained to Conduct Forensic Exams after Sexual Assault, Investigation Reveals Dec 28, 2020 -- Video reports on the shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs), who are trained in conducting forensic exams on survivors of sexual assaults. With no national database for SANES, the analysis looked at every state's resources and found the worst shortages in states with largely rural communities. Source: NBC News Why Getting COVID-19 Vaccines to Rural Americans Is Harder than It Looks, and How to Lift the Barriers Dec 28, 2020 -- Discusses barriers to distributing the COVID-19 vaccines in rural areas, such as the vaccines' cold storage requirements and shipping rules which make it difficult for rural hospitals to serve as distribution hubs. Describes how geographic isolation, hospital closures, and lack of public transportation increases the difficulty of vaccinating rural Americans. Source: The Conversation Hard-Hit Rural Hospitals Healing after Harrowing Battles Against COVID-19 Dec 26, 2020 -- After experiencing one of the worst outbreaks in the country, active COVID-19 cases and virus-related hospitalizations have fallen in North Dakota. Describes how the pandemic's peak in November left healthcare workers at rural hospitals exhausted, but as vaccines start to roll out, healthcare workers feel a sense of hope. Source: Grand Forks Herald Rural Community Reflects Black American Unease, Challenges with COVID-19 Vaccines Dec 24, 2020 -- Discusses Black Americans hesitancies to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and describes how increased transparency, inclusion, and clear public messaging will increase vaccine participation among communities of color. Addresses the barriers to vaccine distribution in rural communities, such as healthcare workforce shortages, lack of proper refrigeration, and geographic isolation. Source: ABC News Federal RegisterPublic Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program; Secure Electronic Prior Authorization For Medicare Part DDec 30, 2020 -- Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adopting a new standard for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit program's (Part D) e-prescribing program as required by the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act). This rule amends regulations to require Part D plan sponsors to support a National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) SCRIPT standard for use in certain electronic prior authorization transactions. This rule is effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is scheduled for December 31, 2020. Source: Federal Register HHS: Agency Information Collection Request; 30-Day Public Comment Request Dec 29, 2020 -- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking comments on the HHS Teletracking COVID-19 Portal (U.S. Healthcare COVID-19 Portal). The data collected through daily reporting by hospitals informs the Federal Government's understanding of disease patterns and furthers the development of policies for COVID-19 prevention and control. Comments are due by January 28, 2021. Source: Federal Register HRSA: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: DATA 2000 Waiver Training Payment Program Application for Payment, OMB No. 0906-xxxx-New Dec 29, 2020 -- The Health Resources and Services Administration is seeking comments and burden estimates on an application Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinics (RHC) must submit to receive payment for the average training costs of eligible physicians and practitioners who obtain Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) waivers to furnish opioid use disorder treatment services. Comments are due by January 28, 2021. Source: Federal Register Public Inspection: CMS: Medicaid Program: Establishing Minimum Standards in Medicaid State Drug Utilization Review and Supporting Value-Based Purchasing for Drugs Covered in Medicaid, Revising Medicaid Drug Rebate and Third Party Liability Requirements Dec 28, 2020 -- Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding regulatory changes to support state flexibility to enter into value-based purchasing arrangements (VBPs) with manufacturers. This rule also implements provisions of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act designed to reduce opioid-related fraud, misuse, and abuse through the Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program. This rule is effective 60 days publication of this notice in the Federal Register, which is scheduled for December 31, 2020. Source: Federal Register |
Funding for the expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics to increase access to and improve the quality of community behavioral health services, with an emphasis on services for individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders, including opioid disorders; children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance; individuals with co-occurring disorders; and armed forces members and veterans in rural areas. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Mar 1, 2021 Sponsors: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Tribal-Researcher Capacity Building Grants Grants to support research involving federally recognized tribes and tribal-based organizations on issues of crime and justice, with research priorities including alcohol, opioids, and other substance abuse and violent crime. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Application Deadline: Mar 15, 2021 Sponsors: National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model A voluntary payment model designed to meet the needs of rural communities. The CHART Model will test whether aligned financial incentives, increased operational flexibility, and robust technical support promote the capacity of rural healthcare providers to implement effective healthcare delivery system redesign on a broad scale. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Letter of Intent (Optional): Feb 17, 2021 Application Deadline: Mar 16, 2021 (extended) Sponsors: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Surgical Disparities Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Grants to support investigative and collaborative research focused on understanding and addressing disparities in surgical care and outcomes in minority and health disparity populations. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Letter of Intent (Optional): May 5, 2021 Application Deadline: Jun 5, 2021 Sponsors: National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Improving Quality of Care and Patient Outcomes During Care Transitions (R01) Funding for health services research that will test promising interventions aimed at improving communication and coordination during care transitions. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories Application Deadline: Dec 6, 2022 Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance Technical assistance for tribes to improve health systems, access to services, and health outcomes in rural, impoverished communities. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: American Indian Public Health Resource Center |
Examines barriers and facilitators for accessing healthy food in Martin County, Kentucky. Aims to develop socially-, culturally-, and historically-informed policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions to reduce obesity in Appalachia and other areas. Author(s): Kathryn Cardarelli, Emily DeWitt, Rachel Gillespie, et al. Location: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17 Date: 12/2020 2019 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Includes a discussion of disparities encountered by race/ethnicity and geographic locations along the rural-urban continuum. Addresses access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, affordability, healthy living, and effective treatment. Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Date: 09/2020 Addressing Health Disparities in the Rural United States: Advocacy as Caregiving among Community Health Workers and Promotores de Salud Presents a study comparing the roles played by community health workers (CHWs) and promotores de salud in serving rural communities in Indiana and Texas. Discusses CHWs role in addressing rural health disparities and describes that role in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Author(s): Ryan I. Logan, Heide Castañeda Location: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9223 Date: 12/2020 Chronic Care Management - Understanding the Value & How it can Transform your Quality of Care Webinar presented by a representative of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, identifying key components required to create a chronic care management (CCM) program in rural hospitals, listing quality measures and outcomes affected by the CCM process, and showing income opportunities CCM programs provide. Explains what data institutions should track in order to remain compliant with regulations, and shows ways that CMM programs can reduce negative patient outcomes. Transcript available by clicking the three dots above the Subscribe button. Additional links: Slides Sponsoring organizations: Association for Rural & Community Health Professional Coding, Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network Date: 12/2020 County-Level Access to Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Facilities Interactive map showing county-level data on potential COVID-19 vaccine administration facilities per 10,000 people. Displays data on percent of general population and percent of population older than 65 who reside more than 10 miles away from a facility. Includes number of hospital outpatient departments, community pharmacies, Rural Health Clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers in each county. Additional links: Access to Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Facilities: A Geographic Information Systems Analysis Sponsoring organization: West Health Policy Center Date: 12/2020 COVID-19 Funding Sources Impacting Rural Providers Reference guide to help rural healthcare providers navigate federal COVID-19 response and recovery funding. Includes tables identifying eligibility by provider type and how funds can be spent. Provides an overview of each funding opportunity and reporting requirements. Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center Date: 12/2020 COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkits A collection of audience-specific toolkits to help healthcare providers build confidence in COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare staff, educate patients, and properly store and handle the vaccine. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Date: 12/2020 COVID-19: Toolkit for Healthcare Providers Guidance and tools from the CDC to help clinicians make decisions, protect patients and employees, and communicate with their communities. Includes planning documents, frequently asked questions, vaccine resources, information to share with patients, and more. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Date: 12/2020 COVID-19: Vaccines Resources and information for the public on COVID-19 vaccination. Addresses frequently asked questions related to the vaccine and covers how the vaccine works, who will be vaccinated first, benefits of vaccination, information on the different vaccines, and more. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Date: 12/2020 Farmworker Health Network: 2020 Key Resources for Agricultural Worker Health Highlights several resources on agricultural worker health, including a toolkit to encourage ag worker participation on health center boards and model programs to address specific health conditions. Provides a summary for each resource and links to more information on each sponsoring program's website. Sponsoring organizations: Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc., Health Outreach Partners, MHP Salud, Migrant Clinicians Network, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Center for Farmworker Health Date: 2020 HCUP Summary Trend Tables Provides a series of data files on monthly hospital utilization data derived from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID) and HCUP State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) beginning in January 2017. Includes state-by-state data on hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory conditions; normal newborns and deliveries; non-elective stays admitted through emergency departments; and elective inpatient stays. Contains information on urban-rural locations of the hospital and patient residence. Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Introducing Telehealth to Rural and Indigenous Communities: A Telehealth 101 Virtual Workshop for Tribes Webinar recordings from a 2-day workshop on telehealth implementation in rural and Indigenous communities. Presentation topics include telehealth business, technology, standards, and evaluation; health equity; maternal health; Indian Health Service (IHS) resources; telehealth funding; telebehavioral health and telemedicine-based Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT); and other telehealth-related topics. Sponsoring organizations: American Indian Public Health Resource Center, Health Resources and Services Administration, North Dakota Department of Health Date: 11/2020 Spatial Access to Vaccines for Children Providers in South Carolina: Implications for HPV Vaccination Explores access to Vaccines for Children (VFC) enrolled clinics in South Carolina to understand rural/urban disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiation and improve rural HPV vaccination rates. Features information on VFC providers by rural and urban Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), spatial accessibility for VFC by rural and urban ZCTAs, and more. Author(s): Radhika Ranganathan, Whitney Zahnd, Sayward Harrison, et al. Location: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17 Date: 12/2020 Transitional Care Management - Simple Process with a Big Impact Webinar presented by a representative of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, showing how to identify and understand the different ways in which transitional care management (TCM) can work in healthcare facilities to improve healthcare quality. Lists the key components within TCM guidelines and identifies which types of providers can or cannot perform TCM services. Transcript available by clicking the three dots above the Subscribe button. Additional links: Slides Sponsoring organizations: Association for Rural & Community Health Professional Coding, Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network Date: 12/2020 Vaccination Implementation Strategies to Consider for Populations Recommended to Receive Initial Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine (Persons Included in Phases 1a-1c) Guide for state, tribal, local, and territorial immunization programs and other immunization partners to help plan for phases 1a-1c of the COVID-19 vaccination program, which includes healthcare personnel, residents of long-term care facilities, essential workers, older adults, and individuals 16–64 years of age with underlying medical conditions. Covers provider recruitment and enrollment, locating and prioritizing populations, vaccine administration, documentation, and communication. Additional links: Interim Considerations for Phased Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination and Sub-Prioritization Among Recommended Populations Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Date: 12/2020 |
Deadline: Jan 6, 2021 No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices Event Dates: Mar 23 - 24, 2021 Conference Website Call for Abstracts: 2021 Annual American Public Health Association Meeting and Expo Deadline: Mar 21, 2021 American Public Health Association Event Dates: Oct 23 - 27, 2021 Denver, CO Conference Website |
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