Surveillance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the highest levels of respiratory illness were reported in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas for the week ending October 8.  Earlier this week, the CDC reported only half of Americans got a flu vaccine during the 2021-2022 flu season.  Long term, CDC found data showing that flu hospitalization rates were nearly 80 percent higher among Black adults than White adults from 2009-2022. In a rural-urban comparison of vaccine uptake in Florida, researchers found no significant association between residing in rural counties and not receiving a flu vaccine. Instead, their findings showed that increasing age, higher education, and having health insurance had a positive association with flu vaccine use.  Locations for flu vaccines in almost every county can be found at vaccines.gov.

  Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a National Roadway Safety Strategy to bring down the number of people who die in motor vehicle crashes.  One of the five key objectives of this plan is post-crash care, emergency response, and trauma care which is critical to the survivability of crashes.  Recent research has shown that nearly half of fatal crashes in the United States occur on rural roads.  The National EMS Advisory (NEMSAC)  Council seeks input from rural emergency medical services (EMS) on their formal submission to DOT’s National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration about the proposed plan.  There are two NEMSAC letters for your consideration: the first provides advice on major actions the DOT can take to reduce fatalities; the second calls for the adoption of the National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines (3^rd Edition) and the 2021 National Trauma Field Triage Guidelines.  Comments and questions must be submitted to NHTSA.NEMSAC@dot.gov by October 21, 2022, at 5 pm ET.

 A July 2020 survey of more than a thousand physicians who provided treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) showed that many used telehealth for the first time during the pandemic when regulations were loosened.  More than half of the respondents, 54 percent, found it more effective than expected.  A significant majority – 85 percent – were in favor of the temporary telehealth flexibility being permanently extended.

 The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) surveyed physician assistants and physician associates still in training on their interest in practicing in rural areas.  Though more than a quarter (28 percent) of the survey respondents were either already working in or interested in practicing in a rural location, respondents identified several factors as barriers to an ongoing or future practice there.  These ranged from not having career opportunities for a spouse/partner, to school concerns for their children, to specialties that could not be supported by a small population.

This 38-minute episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast is a discussion with two experts on the challenges and joy of providing maternal care in rural areas.

A range of resources for implementing the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is featured prominently, along with guides for financing crisis support, reaching specific populations, and much more from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.

 This series of data briefs from the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center shows fewer per capita behavioral health providers in rural vs. urban counties as well as disparities in the supply of providers across rural categories and Census Divisions.  While the per capita supply of psychiatrists declined over the past decade, the supply of psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, social workers, and counselors increased in both rural and urban counties.

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on the concept of CMS creating a directory with information on healthcare providers and services or a “National Directory of Healthcare Providers and Services” (NDH). Healthcare directories can serve as an important resource for patients, helping them locate providers who meet their individual needs and preferences and allowing them to compare health plan networks. Directories also have the ability to facilitate care coordination, health information exchange, and public health data reporting. CMS is specifically requesting public feedback on the NDH concept and potential benefit; provider types, entities, and data elements that could be included; the technical framework for an NDH; priorities for possible phased implementation;  and prerequisites and actions CMS should consider to address potential challenges and risks. Rural stakeholders may consider commenting to ensure CMS receives input on considerations for rural providers and patients.

Respond by December 6.

  Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a National Roadway Safety Strategy to bring down the number of people who die in motor vehicle crashes.  One of the five key objectives of this plan is post-crash care, emergency response, and trauma care which is critical to the survivability of crashes.  Recent research has shown that nearly half of fatal crashes in the United States occur on rural roads.  The National EMS Advisory (NEMSA\

C)  Council seeks input from rural emergency medical services (EMS) on their formal submission to DOT’s National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration about the proposed plan.  There are two NEMSAC letters for your consideration: the first provides advice on major actions the DOT can take to reduce fatalities; the second calls for the adoption of the National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines (3^rd Edition) and the 2021 National Trauma Field Triage Guidelines.  Comments and questions must be submitted to NHTSA.NEMSAC@dot.gov by October 21, 2022, at 5 pm ET.