RHIhub This Week - December 17, 2025
As an information clearinghouse on rural health issues, RHIhub provides access to a wide range of resources on relevant topics. Inclusion on RHIhub does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by RHIhub or the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs)Our topic guide sharing information on regulations, operations, and payment benefits for REHs was just updated! There are 3 new FAQs that cover REH quality reporting options, the REH survey process, and sources of capital funding to support REHs. The guide also shares details on current REH location and staffing requirements, technical assistance opportunities, and other resources to support REHs. |
Rural Substance Use Disorders Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery ToolkitThis recently updated toolkit shares evidence-based examples, models, resources, and best practices to support rural communities and organizations working to implement programs and initiatives to address substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. |
Recently Added to the Online Library |
Dec 17, 2025 -- Comments are being accepted for the 2025 Measures Under Consideration (MUC) List which includes 24 unique measures under consideration by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for quality reporting purposes. Comments are also requested on 5 measures aligned with Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities. Written comments are due January 6, 2026. Also offers opportunities for live comments during January 2026 listening sessions. Source: Partnership for Quality Measurement International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Call for Papers: Special Issue on Rural Health Services Research - 2nd Edition Dec 16, 2025 -- A call for papers for a special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Papers should discuss innovation in rural healthcare delivery including topics such as workforce, capacity building, policy, tribal communities, technology, and anything else related to regional, rural, and remote health. The deadline to submit a manuscript is May 1, 2026. Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Salina Nursing Students See Kansas Rural Health Care up Close Dec 12, 2025 -- Describes a field trip for nursing students in Kansas to see a Critical Access Hospital as a way to educate the students about rural nursing and promote it as a career path. Source: University of Kansas Medical Center News Kids Alliance for Better Care Expands to Support More Rural Pediatric and Family Medicine Practices Dec 10, 2025 -- Announces the expansion of a rural pediatric health networking and collaboration initiative in Georgia aiming to support access to pediatric healthcare. The program includes both a physician training and consultation component as well as specialty telehealth component to allow rural children to receive healthcare in their communities. Discusses scholarship opportunities to increase the pediatric health workforce and plans to continue expanding this program. Source: The Den |
Funding for "bricks and mortar" projects that assist low‐income, elderly, and disabled veterans with home repair needs, support homeless veterans, help veterans become homeowners, and/or secure affordable rental housing in rural areas of the United States. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jan 19, 2026 Sponsors: Housing Assistance Council, The Home Depot Foundation Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program Grants to private nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives that provide supportive services for very low-income veterans and their families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing. Rural and tribal communities and U.S. territories are considered a priority for grant distribution. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Application Deadline: Feb 19, 2026 Sponsor: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs NRHA Rural Health Awards Honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to rural health. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Feb 23, 2026 Sponsor: National Rural Health Association Rural Community Development Program Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems Technical assistance to help regional and other eligible organizations manage safe water systems in rural communities. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsors: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
A chartbook offering data from the 2025 National Survey of Area Agencies on Aging. Rural topics discussed include transportation, social engagement, and areas served by Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). Also discusses AAAs services, caregiving, funding, the needs of specific communities, and more. Sponsoring organization: USAging Date: 2025 American Cancer Society's Report on the Status of Cancer Disparities in the United States, 2025 Reports on cancer disparities by various demographic factors, socioeconomic status, geography, and other factors, utilizing 2018-2022 North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) data. Contains metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan data comparisons throughout, and discusses factors influencing access to cancer screening and treatment, including rurality. Author(s): Farhad Islami, Gladys Arias, Dongjun Lee, et al. Location: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 76(1), e70045 Date: 12/2025 Availability of Higher-Level Neonatal Care Services in Rural US Counties, 2010-2022 Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center Date: 12/2025 Changes in Bed-Based Measures of Surge Capacity from 2018 to 2022 among Rural and Urban Hospitals Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location. Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program Date: 12/2025 Community Healers: How Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Leads in Health and Wellness Discusses how the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) addresses the health needs of its community, by integrating Cherokee culture and Western medical care as a way to improve community health. Documents CIHA's work in promoting relationships between federal and state entities and Native Nations. Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center Date: 12/2025 December 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2025 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), post-acute care, skilled nursing facility services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, home health services, hospice services, and outpatient dialysis services. Includes discussions on improving Medicare payment approaches and mandated reports on the impact of recent changes to the home health prospective payment system and an assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system. Additional links: Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services; Mandated Report on Rural Emergency Hospitals; And Update on Site-neutral Payments - Presentation Slides, Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System - Presentation Slides Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Date: 12/2025 Do Changes in Hospital Ownership Affect Staffing? Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data. Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program Date: 12/2025 Introduction to Rural Public Health Training module focused on providing an overview of rural public in the U.S. Includes discussion on rural public health systems and structures; leveraging existing strengths and attributes of rural communities to address the challenges they face; and the importance of developing partnerships and collaboration to support rural public health systems and care delivery. Continuing education credits for this course are available through October 15, 2027, via CDC TRAIN. Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis Date: 10/2025 Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Offerings Offers an overview of Medicare Advantage plan availability across the country for 2026. Discusses how many plans are available, who is offering plans, and costs. Offers data for rural and urban areas and county-level data. Sponsoring organization: KFF Date: 12/2025 Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Structure for FY 2024 – FY 2028 Outlines the purpose and allowable activities within each of the five Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program program areas, as well as suggested outcome measures for each program area. Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center Date: 04/2025 Revisiting the Rural and Urban Divide in Hospital Health Information Technology Adoption: Evidence From 2023 Presents a study assessing the adoption of telehealth, patient engagement, and health information exchange functionalities in rural and urban hospitals in 2023. Bases findings on American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Survey data. Breaks down data by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural hospital settings. Author(s): Alice S. Yan, Teagan K. Maguire, Jie Chen Location: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70100 Date: 12/2025 Small but Essential: Understanding Rural Public Health Workforce Challenges and Strengths From the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey Examines characteristics of the rural public health workforce. Utilizes 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) data to analyze the rural versus urban local health department (LHD) workforce with breakdowns according to demographics, education, employment tenure and type, and intentions to stay. Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Stephanie M. Mathis, Michael B. Meit, Betty Bekemeier Location: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 32(1S), S60-S67 Date: 01/2026 Supporting Older Adults in Rural Communities: Home- and Community-Based Care A collection of resources offering research, case studies, implementation tools, and policy considerations covering the continuum of care for older adults in rural communities. Includes information on the care models Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), community-based palliative care, and community paramedicine. Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies Thriving Communities Transportation Toolkit A transportation toolkit that provides resources, guidance, and success stories related to transportation and infrastructure projects in rural and tribal communities. Focuses on finding opportunities, building teams, developing a project, financing, and maintaining infrastructure. Sponsoring organization: Main Street America Date: 12/2025 |
Deadline: Dec 17, 2025 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Southeast & Caribbean Disaster Resilience Partnership (SCDRP), Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety Event Dates: Mar 2 - 3, 2026 Charleston, SC Conference Website |
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