Women in rural America are facing increasingly difficult obstacles during their pregnancies. This new profile details the extensive hurdles patients face in the wake of OB and rural hospital closures. “At least 85 rural hospitals — about 5 percent of the country’s total — have closed...
This week the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is expected to consider S. 3157, legislation to expedite the deployment of wireless small cells for 5G networks. Click here for the press release on the introduction of the bill. The bill would establish a process and timeline guidelines...
The Substance Misuse and Mental Health Services Administration has recently announced that it is accepting applications for $930 million in State Opioid Response Grants to help states and territories combat the opioid epidemic. Fifteen percent of these grants will be set aside to provide funding...
The June 2018 issue of The Pulse details FCC and CMS policy changes impacting CAHs. Read highlights of the GAO review of the Veterans Choice program, and recent reports on rural population loss and PA training programs. [wpdm_package id=1904 template="598a2ed5b979d"]...
In a recent report by the Center for Disease Control, researchers found that obesity remains to be higher among rural adults compared to their urban counterparts. 34.2% of adults in rural areas are considered obese and only 28.7% are considered obese in metropolitan areas. Low...
Fulfilling a provision set by the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, the GAO has reviewed the Choice Program and found that the program is producing extended wait times for veterans, despite being originally developed to expedite care when it is not more immediately available through the...
A new study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine shows a marked difference in emergency care staffing in rural areas as opposed to urban areas. This research shows the physician shortage has made a strong impact on rural emergency care. [button link="https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(18)30267-1/pdf" text="Read More"]...
The FCC voted to increase the funding cap for the Rural Healthcare Program. The program recently came under fire for not fulfilling funding commitments made to service providers and rural hospitals. Earlier this year, the Commission sought input on proposed rulemaking which would increase the...
The USDA Economic Research Service updated data on their Atlas of Rural and Small Town America to include population data from 2016-2017. The data shows, generally, a decrease in rural areas and increase in urban areas. The map also includes population comparisons to 2010, unemployment...
Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced Senate Bill 2894 in an attempt to create within the Department of Agriculture the position of a Rural Health Liaison. The Liaison would be consulted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate the Department of Agriculture’s response...