Rural Spotlight

Reform Options

PubHub has made the following reports available:

Health Affairs/RWJF Policy Brief: Paying Physicians for Medicare Services

Examines the pros and cons of multiple scenarios for cutting physician payments for Medicare, including allowing scheduled reductions to take effect, abandoning the sustainable growth rate system, long-term modifications, and other payment reform options. 

Use of Comparative Effectiveness Research in Drug Coverage and Pricing Decisions: A Six-Country Comparison

Examines the review processes of comparative effectiveness research in drug coverage and pricing in Denmark, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Considers policy implications for the United States, including limitations.

Will the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 Improve Health Outcomes for Individuals and Families?

Summarizes how healthcare reform provisions including coverage expansions, enhancements, and focus on prevention and safety, quality, and coordination of care will affect children and families. Considers supply limitations and implications for access.

The Challenging Role of Rural Physicians

The Evansville Courier and Press has released an article supporting the need for health reform in rural America. Some counties only have a couple doctors for all of the residents who live there. The article focuses on challenges faced by these small town doctors. Read the article here.

Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Issues New Rules for HIPAA Privacy and Security

The OCR proposed a new rule on July 8, which promises to strengthen and widen the enforcement of HIPAA. The modifications include:

1. Placing additional restrictions on disclosures of PHI with regards to marketing, fundraising, and health plans
2. Allowing patients greater access to their health information
3. Mandating that business associates of HIPAA-covered entities follow the same regulations as the covered entities themselves
4. Preventing the sale of PHI without prior authorization of the patient

HHS has also created a website, where the agency will provide current policies and future privacy initiatives.

View the privacy website here.

View the HHS Press Release here.

EHR Final Rules Provide Blueprints to Better Healthcare

With the recent published rulings on EHR certifications and standards and meaningful use, Dr. David Blumenthal believes we have the foundation necessary to support the effort to improve healthcare across America. EHRs provide a wide array of benefits:

• Make medical histories readily available to physicians so they may make more knowledgeable clinical decisions
• Allow for easier tracking of results
• Provide warnings of serious health conditions and possible drug interactions through automatic alerts
• Enable e-Prescribing

While many have already begun their EHR implementation process, there are still many more who have yet to do so. The rulings that have been released will serve as a guide for those embarking upon their EHR journey.

Read Dr. Blumenthal's full blog post here.

Gain more up-to-date meaningful use information here.

Providing Medical Homes

PubHub has made the following report available:

Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program: Helping Pediatric Practices Become Medical Homes for Low-Income Children

Describes a nonprofit improving access to care for children enrolled in Medicaid by helping pediatric practices become medical homes, offering administrative support, and assisting with referrals to community groups and agencies. Includes lessons learned.

Quality of Care

The following report and policy brief analyze the relationships between rural patients' perspectives of hospital quality of care and key hospital characteristics that may influence patients' experiences of hospital care. The reports assess whether rural patients' perspectives of hospital quality of care are related to quality measures focused on the provision of recommended care for medical conditions.

Find the brief by clicking here. 

Find the final report by clicking here.

Medical Programs Looking for Diversity

The path to a career in medicine doesn't always take a traditional route. The Washington Post recently published the story of one medical student who is becoming a doctor after getting some practical experience while serving in the military. She, along with others, are being recruited by schools looking for students with a wider range of backgrounds.

More Physicians Residing in Primary Care

Recent research suggests the number of physicians getting ready to leave medical school and enter into family medicine is on the rise.  The areas of internal medicine and pediatrics also appear to be drawing significant interest over years past.  Read more about the research here.

Missouri Nurses Association (MONA) Offers Resources

The MONA is excited to offer new and updated resources for nurses and believes these publications are essential in all healthcare settings where nurses are employed.  Click here for details of these publications.  To purchase any of these manuals, please contact MONA at 573-636-4623 or by e-mail .  You can also order on-line at www.missourinurses.org.

Rural Assistance Center Updates

A variety of updates are available from the Rural Assistance Center.  Click here to view the latest news and information on the following subjects:

• Recent News
• Funding Opportunities
• Tools
• Upcoming Events
• How RAC Has Impacted You