- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
- CMS Refocuses on its Core Mission and Preserving the State-Federal Medicaid Partnership
- Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health among Adults in Rural Vs. Urban Communities
- Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation: Request for Input
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule
- Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons
- NRHA Continues Partnership to Advance Rural Oral Health
- Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft
- Q&A: What Are the Challenges and Opportunities of Small-Town Philanthropy?
Epidemic Preparedness For Community Organizations
From the Exension Disaster Education Network.
Community organizations, such as faith-based organizations and nonprofits, are instrumental before, during and after epidemics. This program walks organizations through a process to learn about potential epidemics, serve their members and serve their communities before, during and after an epidemic. Continue reading.
Occupancy Rates in Rural and Urban Hospitals: Value and Limitations in Use as a Measure of Surge Capacity
March 25, 2020
As policymakers deal with the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the hospital infrastructure, understanding the differences in occupancy rates between rural and urban hospitals may help state and local officials in their planning for dealing with surge demand. Historically, rural hospitals have reported lower occupancy rates than urban hospitals and more licensed than staffed beds. This may represent surge capacity for state and local officials to consider in responding to this crisis. The purpose of this brief is to describe variations in hospital occupancy rates nationally and by state, provide additional data for state and local officials, and highlight challenges in identifying surge capacity. Continue reading.
Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Specific news, events, information and resources for rural communities. Read more.
COVID-19 Resources for Emergency Medical Personnel
The EMS and 911 systems play a vital role in the response to public health emergencies such as COVID-19. Read more.
From NHTSA’s Office of EMS.
COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit
March 18, 2020
How can telehealth be used in response to COVID-19? Access the full toolkit from the National Consortium of Telehealth Resources Center.
FCC Waives Rural Health Care and E-Rate Program Gift Rules to Promote Connectivity for Hospitals and Students During Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2020—The Federal Communications Commission today
announced important changes to the Rural Health Care (RHC) and E-Rate programs that will
make it easier for broadband providers to support telehealth and remote learning efforts during
the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has waived
the gift rules until September 30, 2020 to enable service providers to offer, and RHC and ERate program participants to solicit and accept, improved connections or additional equipment
for telemedicine or remote learning during the coronavirus outbreak.
Read more
Those Living in Rural Areas, Uninsured or on Medicaid Less Likely to Receive Recommended Lung Cancer Treatment
This article summarizes a study that found lung cancer patients were less likely to receive chemotherapy if they lived in rural areas or were on Medicaid or uninsured. Researchers describe that rural residents are more likely to have to travel long distances for follow-up treatment. Read more here.
Realizing The Vision of Advanced Primary Care: Confronting Financial Barriers to Expanding the Model Nationwide
This article describes how advanced primary care models help to bring person-centered, affordable care to high-risk patient populations. Addresses challenges to implementing the model, such as high operating costs and lack of structure to operate in rural areas, and highlights opportunities to overcome these barriers. Read more here. (May require a subscription to view full article).
HHS: Designation of Scarce Materials or Threatened Materials Subject to COVID-19 Hoarding Prevention Measures
Notice of Executive Order from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishing a list of medical resources that are needed to combat the spread of COVID-19 which have been designated as scarce or which are likely to be in short supply and should not be hoarded, effective March 25, 2020. Read more here.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created the Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force to address the limited supply of protective and life-saving equipment during the coronavirus pandemic. It describes how the task force is increasing availability of critical resources through preservation of equipment, acceleration of industrial manufacturing, expansion of the industry, and allocation of resources. Read more here.