The North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center provides a basic financial framework for considering the incremental revenues, costs, and avoided costs that may be expected if a hospital eliminates inpatient care to convert to an REH.  Another paper from the same research center examines hospitals with low emergency department volumes that are eligible to convert to an REH and found common characteristics.  See FORHP-funded technical assistance to support hospitals exploring the REH option under Resources of the Week below.

 On October 13, HHS extended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration for another 90 days. The extension means the continued surveillance of the outbreak, access to emergency funding, modified telemedicine practice, and flexibilities for healthcare providers, such as the Coronavirus waivers issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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.

From the Centre Daily Times

People who live in rural Pennsylvania face unique barriers to health care, broadband, and economic opportunities.

About 3.4 million people, or roughly 26% of Pennsylvania’s residents, live in the commonwealth’s 48 rural counties, according to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a state agency.

Pennsylvania’s governor has the authority to address a wide range of rural issues. On Nov. 8, voters here will choose from among five candidates for governor including frontrunners Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano of Franklin County.

Both major candidates offer different approaches to revitalizing rural Pennsylvania. Spotlight PA breaks down where they stand on several major issues including health care, broadband, workforce development, and agriculture.

Read the full article here.