RHIhub This Week - September 30, 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.
Rural Initiatives Aim to Reach 'Overlooked' Patients in Multiple Sclerosis Desertsby Gretel Kauffman In the best of circumstances, getting an MS diagnosis is a long and complex process. For people in rural communities, the challenges are compounded. |
AI in Rural Healthcare ToolkitDeveloped in collaboration with the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, this new toolkit offers practical resources, emerging program models, and examples of rural organizations successfully using AI to expand access to care and support the healthcare workforce. |
Recently Added to the Online Library |
Sep 30, 2026 -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is requesting information from public health, healthcare, health information exchange, and other organizations serving rural communities on how to support secure, scalable, standards-based public health data exchange. Comments are due November 20, 2026. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Rural Health 'Spreading like Wildfire': How One KY County Is Grappling with a National Tick-Borne Scourge Sep 29, 2026 -- Discusses the rise of alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne disease, in a rural Kentucky region. Describes the higher risks of contracting the disease for farmworkers and others who work outdoors, symptoms, and managing the disease. Source: Kentucky Lantern Delaware to Offer $5M in Grants Through Rural Health Technology Accelerator Sep 29, 2026 -- Describes a new Delaware accelerator that will fund startups developing rural healthcare technology. Highlights how the work will both improve outcomes for rural residents and benefit the state's economy. The program is part of the state's Rural Health Transformation Program plan, as well as a 2-year initiative to attract business to the state. Source: Delaware Business Times Praxis Center Rural Health Simulation Center: Request for Feedback Sep 29, 2026 -- Feedback is requested from healthcare leaders, educators, clinicians, and care providers regarding real-world needs as part of a national assessment of training and workforce needs. The survey is offered by Praxis Center in Montana, a planned training facility focused on rural simulation-based professional development. Source: Praxis Center HRSA Awards Nearly $90 Million to Expand Addiction Treatment and Recovery Services in Rural Communities Sep 25, 2026 -- Announces awarded funding for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) which expands substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services throughout rural communities. Source: Health Resources & Services Administration The Impacts of Suicide Run Deep Sep 24, 2026 -- Discusses the farming-specific drivers of high suicide rates and highlights tools and resources to address the risks. Source: Trust Magazine FORHP Awards More Than $6 Million to Strengthen Rural Health Networks Sep 23, 2026 -- Announces funding awarded from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) to support new or existing rural health networks in several states. Describes the role of health networks in strengthening rural healthcare delivery. Source: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Federal RegisterCMS: Request for Information; Medicare Part D Reasonable and Relevant Pharmacy Contracting StandardsSep 24, 2026 -- Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking public input regarding the establishment of standards for reasonable and relevant pharmacy contract terms and conditions under the Medicare prescription drug benefit as outlined by Section 6223(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (P.L. 119-75). Specifically, CMS seeks comments on pharmacy reimbursement and dispensing fees, current contract practices, trends in contract terms and conditions, and pharmacy quality and performance measures, among other things. Comments are due by November 23, 2026. Source: Federal Register |
A community of practice that will bring representatives from local health departments that support rural communities and areas together to learn, share resources, and support each other in their overdose prevention and response efforts. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Oct 9, 2026 Sponsor: National Association of County and City Health Officials Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center Technical assistance support for hospitals that have already converted or are exploring converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: Rural Health Redesign Center |
Recording of a September 22, 2026, webinar discussing Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Discusses the history of AWVs; why AWVs are important for patients, RHCs, and accountable care organizations (ACOs); billing AWVs in RHCs; and more. Additional links: Annual Wellness Visit Form, Annual Wellness Visit Prep List, Annual Wellness Visits Packet, Call Us First Handout, Presentation Slides Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics Date: 09/2026 ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool An interactive county-level map that provides surgical workforce supply rates per 100K population. Allows user to create overlays showing location of hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers as well as to select for surgical specialty. Sponsoring organization: American College of Surgeons Association Between Various Metrics of the Rural Food Environment and Diabetes and Obesity Examines the food environment and resident demographic characteristics and health status in rural Sullivan County, New York. Utilizes survey data from 1,311 residents as well as a catalog of local restaurants and retail food stores to identify food environment associations with diabetes and obesity. Compares how various geographic measures of the food environment perform in a rural setting and discusses the need to validate measures before use in rural health research. Author(s): Jessica Gjonaj, Haeseung Yi, Tammy A. Flores, et al. Location: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23 Date: 09/2026 CAH Quality Infrastructure Resources Provides resources related to the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Infrastructure measure, which is part of the Flex Program's Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) core measures. Covers CAH Quality Infrastructure measure specifications and detailed codebooks from 2023 to 2025. Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team Date: 09/2026 Community Relationships and Physician Retention in Clinician Shortage Areas Results of a study examining the connections of community needs fulfillment and community integration with anticipated retention of physicians in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and urban HPSAs. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of practice, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Look-Alike Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and hospital-based sites. Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, David F. Schmitz, Thomas R. Konrad, Thomas E. Rauner, Mike Shimmens Location: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635692 Date: 09/2026 Comparing Physicians' Perceptions of Access to Behavioral Health Resources in Rural and Urban Practices Explores the differences in the perceptions of rural and urban physicians about access to behavioral health resources for their patients. Draws conclusions from findings of the 2022 National Sample Survey of Physicians by rural versus urban ZIP codes. Breaks down data by specialty, years of practice, and average time spent in different care locations, among other measures. Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Natalia V. Oster, Xiaochu Hu, et al. Location: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70226 Date: 09/2026 Connecting Rural Communities to Hepatitis C Treatment Through Telehealth: Lessons Learned from the Maryland ACCESS Telehealth Program Discusses how Maryland's Washington and Allegany County Health Departments implemented a telehealth program providing hepatitis C treatment in rural areas in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University. Details rural barriers to accessing care and describes implementation successes and challenges. Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials Date: 09/2026 Examining the Rural College Labor Market Examines the rural college labor market, enrollment and degree completion, location decisions of students, and shifts in degree types to meet the needs of changing rural industries. Utilizes American Community Survey data to analyze the nonmetro workforce, college labor trends, demographic characteristics, and industry changes, including trends related to healthcare profession degree completion and subsequent employment. Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service Date: 09/2026 Expanding Peer Recovery Services in Rural Georgia: A Recovery Community Organization's Approach Provides information on recovery community organizations (RCOs) and their role in providing support to people with substance use disorder (SUD). Discusses the implementation, programs, services, staffing, funding, and impact of an RCO in rural Georgia. Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies Date: 09/2026 Frontiers: A Rural Maternal Health Podcast Series A podcast series that examines strategies hospitals use to improve access to maternal healthcare and connect rural areas with clinical expertise. Additional links: Episode 1 - Frontiers: Committing to Rural Maternal Care, Episode 2 - Frontiers: The People Powering Rural Maternal Care, Episode 3 - Connected Rural Maternal Care, Closer to Home Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Date: 09/2026 Geographic and Environmental Differences in Associations Between Food Insecurity and Nutritional and Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Pregnant Participants in the All of Us Research Program Examines the relationship among food insecurity (FI), geography, and health outcomes in pregnant women living in the Southeastern United States. Utilizes 2018-2022 All of Us Research Program data from 12,192 participants and analyzes cardiometabolic biomarkers, nutritional biomarkers, and environmental factors across rural versus urban, as well as FI versus non-FI populations. Author(s): Alaijah Bashi, Viviane Schuch, Amber Dawning, et al. Location: Nutrients, 18(18), 2965 Date: 09/2026 Increasing Access to Rural Behavioral Health Care Through a Community-Based Workforce Provides examples for improving access to behavioral healthcare via a community-based workforce in rural areas. Discusses behavioral health workforce needs in rural communities, prioritizing relationship building alongside formal training, promoting conditions for peer support specialists to thrive, integrating community-based roles into clinical teams and community settings, and leveraging the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) and other time-limited funds to build long-term sustainability. Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies Date: 09/2026 Mental Health Care Access in Rural Communities amid the Expansion of Telehealth Analyzes National Health Interview Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to explore how mental healthcare access has changed for rural and urban residents as telehealth services have expanded. Discusses findings regarding publicly insured, privately insured, and self-pay patients. Author(s): Anja Gruber, Anders Van Sandt, Scott Loveridge, Craig Carpenter, Cris Meier Location: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(9) Date: 09/2026 Rural Hospital Closures and Mortality From Time-Sensitive Conditions in Texas Examines the relationship between mortality and rural hospital closures in Texas. Analyzes time-sensitive deaths per 100,000 residents across 175 counties between 2006 and 2019 and observes changes in mortality rates in a county where a rural hospital closed or in a nearby affected area. Includes county-level map showing location of hospital closures. Author(s): Mark A. Poisler, Kritee Gujral Location: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2636325 Date: 09/2026 Scaling Food Is Medicine Through Primary Care: Three Strategies for States Examines strategies to connect Medicaid recipients to Food is Medicine (FIM) interventions through primary care providers. Discusses how strategies, such as investing in care coordination and partnering with community-based organizations, may be valuable in rural communities. Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies Date: 09/2026 What Will It Take to Sustain Maternal Care in Rural Communities? These Strategies Are Helping Keep Care Close to Home Discusses challenges facing rural maternal healthcare, such as workforce shortages, low birth volumes, and reimbursement. Provides strategies to help improve sustainability, focusing on leadership, diversifying the workforce, strengthening regional and community partnerships, extending community care, addressing behavioral health and social needs, and supporting financial sustainability. Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund Date: 09/2026 |
Deadline: Dec 11, 2026 Oregon Office of Rural Health Event Dates: May 10 - 12, 2027 Seaside, OR Conference Website Call for Abstracts: 2027 North American Agricultural Safety Summit Deadline: Dec 15, 2026 Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America Event Dates: Feb 23 - 24, 2027 San Antonio, TX Conference Website |
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