Rural Spotlight

Webinar: How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness, December 12

December 6, 2024

Webinar: How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness, December 12

In partnership with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), Kaiser Permanente is co-hosting a webinar for leaders in health care, public health, and research.

During this session, USICH – which sets federal homelessness strategy – will discuss its recent guidance, “How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness,” outlining effective strategies for compassionate and collaborative care for people without safe, stable housing.

This one-hour webinar will cover:

  • Why health systems and hospitals are vital for ending homelessness
  • The financial benefits for health systems and hospitals
  • How providers are implementing USICH’s guidance in communities

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, December 12, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET

Click Here to Register

State of the Primary Care Workforce, 2024

December 6, 2024

State of the Primary Care Workforce, 2024

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) National Center for Health Workforce Analysis collects data, conducts research, and generates information to inform and support public and private-sector decision making.

This brief examines the supply of physicians, physician assistants (PA), and nurse practitioners (NP) practicing in primary care specialties:

  • Family medicine
  • General pediatric medicine
  • General internal medicine
  • Geriatric medicine

While rural areas generally have lower primary care physician ratios than urban areas, the data show that NPs and Pas are important in providing primary care in rural areas. Approximately half of PAs were interested in practicing in rural locations (44 percent), Medically Underserved Areas (58%), or Health Professional Shortage Areas (54%).

Click Here to Read State of the Primary Care Workforce, 2024

New Policy Briefs from National Advisory for Rural Health Policy

December 6, 2024

New Policy Briefs from National Advisory for Rural Health Policy

The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services is a citizens’ panel of rural health experts that convenes twice each year to examine pressing issues and make recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

The most recent reports come from a meeting in Austin, Texas in April of this year, with an in-depth look at How Technology and Innovation Can Help Address Rural Health Care Challenges and Supporting Quality Measurement for Rural Health Clinics.

Click Here for Policy Brief: How Technology and Innovation Can Help Address Rural Health Care Challenges

Click Here for Policy Brief: Supporting Quality Measurement for Rural Health Clinics

Telehealth Resources

December 3, 2024

Telehealth Resources

Click on the links below to access these telehealth resources:

  • Telehealth for HIV Care Best Practice Guide

This HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, learn more about strategies to increase access to HIV care through telehealth in the Telehealth for HIV Care Best Practice Guide.

Click Here to Read the Best Practice Guide

  • Patient Resource: How Can I Use Telehealth for HIV Care

Telehealth may be used to prevent, detect, and treat HIV. Share this resource with your patients so they can understand the benefits of using telehealth to manage HIV, how to access telehealth, more.

Click Here to Access Patient Resource

  • Telehealth in the Community: Providing Virtual Case Management Services for People with HIV

Read how a HRSA grantee uses telehealth to support case management and the benefits for providers and patients in managing HIV care.

Click Here to Read More

  • CMS Patient and Provider Telehealth Toolkit

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated Telehealth for Providers Toolkit and Telehealth for Patients Toolkit that share the basics of telehealth.

Click Here to Access Providers Toolkit

Click Here to Access Patients Toolkit

Click Here to Learn more about Telehealth

Research Recap: HIV Care

December 3, 2024

Research Recap: HIV Care

This research recap outlines different types of telehealth and how they can be used to support HIV treatment and prevention.

Click Here to Read the Research Recap

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Achieves Record-Breaking 90.6% Viral Suppression Rate among Its More than 576,000 Clients

December 3, 2024

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Achieves Record-Breaking 90.6% Viral Suppression Rate among Its More than 576,000 Clients

In commemoration of World Aids Day, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announce a record-breaking 90.6 percent of people with HIV receiving medical care through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program are virally suppressed, exceeding national viral suppression rates. Viral suppression means people with HIV taking their medication cannot sexually transmit HIV and can live longer and healthier lives.

The new Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program data reflect several key milestones:

  • More than 576,000 people with HIV in the U.S. received life-saving care, medication, and essential support services through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program representing over 50% of those with diagnosed HIV in the U.S.
  • Nearly 91 percent of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients receiving HIV medical care were virally suppressed in 2023. This is up from 70 percent of clients virally suppressed in 2010 and significantly higher than the 65 percent virally suppressed nationally (which includes people who do not qualify or receive treatment through the Ryan White Program).
  • Nearly 48 percent of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients are aged 50 years and older, demonstrating the program’s success in supporting older clients and its commitment to addressing the unique needs of people with HIV as they age.

Click Here to access the new 2023 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program By the Numbers data infographic.

Click Here to learn more about HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program

Click Here to read full press release

Calendar Year 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule

December 3, 2024

Calendar Year 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Hospital OPPS/ASC Payment System Final Rule (89 FR 93912) was published by the Office of the Federal Register on November 27, 2024.

Program information for outpatient quality reporting begins with cross-program changes for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program, and the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program at Section XIV, pages 94367-94404; https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-11-27/pdf/2024-25521.pdf#page=456.

Individual program information can be found in the following sections of the final rule:

Inpatient facilities participating in the Hospital IQR Program are encouraged to review the hybrid measure changes, which further extend the voluntary reporting period under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 payment determination.

Major provisions of the CY 2025 OPPS/ASC Payment System Final Rule are also discussed on the CMS website.

Upcoming CEHP Webinars: Jab Gab Childhood and Adolescent Vaccination Updates for Health Professionals Webinar Series

December 2, 2024

Upcoming CEHP Webinars: Jab Gab childhood and Adolescent Vaccination Updates for Health Professionals Webinar Series

By the end of this webinar series, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the significance of completing childhood recommended vaccination schedule, including public health implications and individual health benefits.
  • Differentiate evidence-based interventions (EBIs) that increases vaccination completion rates among children.
  • Implement evidence-based strategies to improve childhood vaccination rates in their practice and community.

Webinars will also be recorded and available On-demand a week following the live event. Your registration allows you to participate in the live Zoom webinar or watch the recorded video. You must be registered to claim credit and may claim only once for each session. Recorded videos will be available until May 31, 2025.

Upcoming Webinar Schedule:

  • The Best Gift You Can Give Your Patients – How to Address Pediatric Vaccine Hesitancy, December 3, 2024, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Resolve to Prevent Cancer – HPV and Adolescent Vaccine Schedules, January 7, 2025, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Show Your Love with Lifelong Immunity – Addressing Pediatric Vaccine Hesitancy, February 4, 2025, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Peer-Reviewed Publication: Utilization, Quality, and Spending for Pediatric Medicaid Enrollees with Primary Care in Health Centers vs non-Health Centers

December 2, 2024

Peer-Reviewed Publication: Utilization, Quality, and Spending for Pediatric Medicaid Enrollees with Primary Care in Health Centers vs non-Health Centers

Using 2012 Medicaid claims data, HRSA-funded researchers compared cost, use, and quality among health center and non-health center pediatric patients. They found that for health center patients, quality of care was comparable, and total expenditures were lower by $240 per patient. This suggests that delivering primary care pediatric services at a health center may be a more cost-effective health care model.

Click Here to Learn More

Peer-Reviewed Publication: Study Finds that Improving Pediatric Emergency Care Could Save More than 2,100 Children’s Lives Annually

December 2, 2024

Peer-Reviewed Publication: Study Finds that Improving Pediatric Emergency Care Could Save More than 2,100 Children’s Lives Annually

During medical emergencies, children have distinct needs. But 83% of emergency departments nationwide are not highly prepared to meet those needs. The new study, in JAMA Network Open, found that bridging that gap, known as having high levels of “Pediatric Readiness” could prevent the deaths of 2,143 children each year while costing between $0 and $12 per child resident, depending on their state.

The study underscores the importance of MCHB’s partnership in two initiatives, known as the Pediatric Readiness Projects. These projects support the nation’s 5,000+ emergency departments and 15,000+ emergency medical services agencies in improving pediatric emergency care. Data from a recent national emergency department assessment were the foundation for this study.

Click Here to Learn More about Pediatric Readiness Projects

Click Here to Read Study