RHIhub This Week - August 5, 2026
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.
Indiana Kidney Program Improves Outcomes Through Proactive Care and Educationby Allee Mead Major Health Partners (MHP) in rural Shelby County, Indiana, created the Kidney Care Options (KCO) Program to improve nephrology care and outcomes. KCO participants receive patient education earlier in the treatment process and assistance addressing their social determinants of health. |
Rural Mobile Healthcare ToolkitDeveloped in collaboration with the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, our new toolkit offers practical resources, evidence-based and promising models, and examples of successful rural mobile healthcare programs to help organizations expand access to care. |
Recovery Is Possible: Continuity of Care from Incarceration to Community, with Kelsea O'LearyCheck out our latest episode featuring Kelsea O'Leary, Behavioral Health Program Manager for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Part 3 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists. |
Upcoming Webinar
Planning with Purpose: Leveraging FORHP's Rural Health Network Development Planning Program for Lasting Community ImpactJoin us on Thursday, August 20, at 1:00 p.m. Central to hear from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program grant. You'll also hear from former grantees as they share how they leveraged the program to improve access to care in rural communities. |
Recently Added to the Online Library |
Aug 4, 2026 -- The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has added a new accreditation category for rural hospitals with the goal of improving healthcare quality and outcomes for cancer patients. Notes that there are fewer accredited hospitals and less access to specialty care in rural areas. Source: PR Newswire Indian Health Service Announces $15.3 Million Investment in Staff Quarters Projects Aug 4, 2026 -- Announces awarded funding for staff quarters project to support the healthcare workforce in tribal communities. Notes that living facilities can improve healthcare workforce recruiting and retaining efforts for the benefit of tribal communities. Source: Indian Health Service Community Pharmacy Partnership Expands Heart Failure Care Across Rural Regions Jul 31, 2026 -- Describes a heart failure care program in rural West Virginia pharmacies. The program includes care coordination between local pharmacists and cardiovascular specialists to support consistent care and identify medication-related concerns early for rural patients. Source: WVU Medicine How Tanner Health Is Building Its Workforce by Investing in Employees' Next Career Move Jul 31, 2026 -- Describes the workforce retention strategy at a Georgia-based rural health system. Discusses their career development services for existing employees, reskilling as workforce needs evolve, and using artificial intelligence to carry out the retention strategy. Source: Health Leaders Media HRSA Announces Revised 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program to Strengthen Care in Rural and Medically Underserved Communities Jul 31, 2026 -- Announces the revised 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program to use a claims-based rebate approach. Eligible manufacturers must submit rebate plans by August 24, 2026 for pricing periods effective January 1, 2027. Source: Health Resources & Services Administration HRSA Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) Call for Nominations Across Four Areas: Great Plains, Nashville, Oklahoma, & Phoenix Jul 30, 2026 -- Request for nominations for the Health Resources & Services Administration's Tribal Advisory Council (TAC). TAC advises HRSA staff on public health issues and collaborative approaches to addressing the needs of American Indian and Alaska Natives. Eligible nominees are elected tribal officials from Great Plains, Oklahoma, Nashville, and Phoenix. Nominations should be emailed to tribalaffairs@hrsa.gov by September 30, 2026. Source: Health Resources & Services Administration BEAD Aims to Bring High-Speed Internet to All Americans by 2030 Jul 29, 2026 -- Discusses the goals of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, a federal opportunity to expand broadband access to underserved locations. Describes how the funding is being deployed at the state level, what technology is being used, and challenges that remain. Source: National Conference of State Legislatures Federal Register
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Funding to support the planning and development of community-shaped, innovative demonstration projects that can help address issues of transportation insecurity. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Letter of Intent (Required): Aug 21, 2026 Application Deadline: Sep 30, 2026 Sponsors: Federal Transit Administration, University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows A fellowship program designed to develop the capacity of mid-career health professionals and behavioral and social scientists with an interest in health and healthcare policy. Individuals with unique perspectives are strongly encouraged to apply, and the foundation has an interest in rural. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Nov 3, 2026 Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 3RNET Recruiting for Retention Academy Online educational opportunity to learn about tools and resources that can assist in recruiting qualified providers to rural areas. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: 3RNET |
Discusses strategies to enhance partnerships among rural public health stakeholders, the rural healthcare workforce, state leaders, and federal partners. Provides examples of Rural Development Hubs that work to network, build capacity, and connect communities with resources and funding opportunities. Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Date: 07/2026 Aligning Initiatives to End the HIV Epidemic in the United States Discusses the alignment of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) and the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States (EHE) initiative to provide healthcare to low-income people living with HIV (PLWH) and prevent new infections. Includes commentary on how the programs work in rural areas and the 2019-2026 EHE funding information for Health Centers with rural technical assistance. Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Date: 08/2026 Collaborations Between Healthcare and Public Health in Rural Settings Presents the results of 24 interviews discussing barriers and facilitators of collaborations between rural health departments and healthcare organizations. Discusses the contexts where collaboration makes sense, areas of collaboration, collaboration structure, and factors influencing positive or negative collaborations. Factors include workforce, funding and resources, and mission alignment. Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Rachel Dean, Kayla M. Alvis, et al. Location: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(7) Date: 07/2026 Effect of Diagnostic Test Type on Detection of Salmonella Infections — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 2004–2024 Reports on incidence of Salmonella species bacterial infections diagnosed using bacterial culture or culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs). Includes information on the odds that a Salmonella species infection was diagnosed by a culture-based test or a CIDT by location for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Location: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(29), 377-383 Date: 07/2026 FarmSafe Podcast A podcast series focused on farm safety, covering rural issues such as research, emergency preparedness, mental health, chronic disease, farm hazards, and more. Sponsoring organization: Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health Federal Policy Priorities to Strengthen Rural Health and Maximize Rural Health Transformation Program Investments Presents policy recommendations for Congressional and CMS actions to bolster rural health and ensure Rural Health Transformation Program investments are transparent, durable, and effective. Covers recommendations related to telehealth and health information technology investments, the rural healthcare workforce, and rural hospital programs and eligibility. Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center Date: 08/2026 FY 2027 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1849-F) Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2027 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program, the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, the Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program, and more. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Date: 07/2026 A Guide to GME Development in Rural and Underserved Areas Offers a roadmap for establishing, expanding, or strengthening Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs in communities with limited access to healthcare. Highlights resources, tools, and best practices to align GME programs with workforce needs, strengthen physician pipelines, and improve access to care. Requires free account registration to access document. Sponsoring organizations: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Rural Residency Planning and Development Program, Teaching Health Center Technical Assistance Center Date: 07/2026 How Medicaid Directors Stay Connected to Members: Lessons from Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin Examines how Medicaid leaders field feedback from their members and stay engaged with their communities. Includes information from a Medicaid director in Nevada who toured the state to learn about local perspectives of Medicaid providers and members living in rural and frontier areas. Wisconsin example shows how feedback was used to inform the state's Rural Health Transformation proposal, while Pennsylvania focused on providing better coordination of services to members. Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies Date: 07/2026 Interstate Licensing Compacts (2026 Overview) Provides a brief overview of major interstate licensing compacts as of July 2026. Includes a chart on the status of licensure compacts in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Additional links: Licensure Compact Chart 2026 Sponsoring organization: Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center Date: 08/2026 Mobile Health Operations: A Foundational Planning Guide for Health Centers Offers guidance to health center leaders and staff regarding the core planning and operational decisions needed to launch, standardize, optimize, and sustain mobile service delivery. Covers service design, workflows and staffing, partnerships, data/technology, regulatory scope and compliance, and performance measurement. Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers Date: 07/2026 Reducing Rates of Cesarean Delivery in Rural US Communities: A Systematic Review of Interventions and Approaches to Care Provides a review of literature that analyzes interventions designed to reduce rural cesarean birth disparities. Discusses 9 studies and outlines their patient-, provider-, or health system-level interventions and focuses on strategies tailored for rural health. Author(s): Jena L. Funakoshi, Hannah M. Collins-Doijode, Kathryn L. Braun Location: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23 Date: 07/2026 Telehealth for Community-Engaged Cardiovascular Care in Rural Populations Discusses how telehealth can support better cardiovascular care for rural patients. Details rural barriers to cardiovascular healthcare and describes telehealth implementation strategies via community partnerships. Author(s): Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, Madyson Williams, Esa M. Davis Location: Circulation, 154(4) Date: 07/2026 West Nile Virus and Other Nationally Notifiable Arboviral Diseases — United States, 2024 Reports on the incidence of arboviral diseases, which are spread through bites of infected mosquitoes or ticks. Includes information on the viruses involved, including West Nile virus (WNV). Discusses the transmission cycle, factors that influence disease occurrence, and the importance of timely surveillance. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Location: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(29), 369-376 Date: 07/2026 |
Deadline: Sep 15, 2026 Arizona Department of Health Services Event Dates: Nov 18, 2026 Maricopa, AZ Conference Website |
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Tell Us How RHIhub Has Impacted YouEmail kristine@ruralhealthinfo.org about how RHIhub has impacted you. Your stories may be used in testimony, budget documents, and presentations concerning the Rural Health Information Hub. |