Rural Health
News by Topic: Physicians
Apr 22, 2024 - Discusses recent research finding the shortage of primary care physicians is greater in rural areas. Includes analysis of findings by study authors, discussing rural-specific needs, Medicare reimbursement, and recruiting rural residents into healthcare.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Apr 17, 2024 - A rural pediatric partnership is expanding into new areas in rural Georgia. The initiative equips rural hospitals with the tools, best practices, training, and research to offer quality healthcare in rural areas, aiding residents who would otherwise have to travel for specialty care. Initiative offers support for emergency department care, pediatrician and telehealthcare, and behavioral and mental health assessments and interventions. The program also offers scholarships for students who commit to working in rural communities.
Source: The Den
Apr 15, 2024 - Highlights the Duluth Family Medicine Residency Program, a program addressing physician shortages in rural areas. The program focuses on training physicians for the varied needs of rural and remote regions where residents face health disparities and less access to emergency and specialty healthcare.
Source: Essentia Health
Apr 1, 2024 - Describes challenges rural health systems face when fighting infectious diseases, including shortages of infectious diseases physicians, geographic isolation, and difficulties in accessing mentoring in infection prevention and control.
Source: JAMA Network
Mar 25, 2024 - Summarizes recent research finding that female patients at rural Community Health Centers are more likely to be behind on cervical cancer screenings than patients in urban community health centers. Discusses factors associated with the disparity including English proficiency, income levels, employment, and primary care physician access. Notes that the disparity grew during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Medical Xpress
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register
Mar 18, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Disclosure Requirement for the In-Office Ancillary Services Exception." CMS will use the information collected to enforce the requirement that physicians who provide certain imaging services (MRI, CT, and PET) under the in-office ancillary services exception to the physician self-referral prohibition must provide the disclosure notice as well as the list of other imaging suppliers to the patient. Comments are due by May 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 14, 2024 - Announces proposed bipartisan legislation aiming to reduce burdens on rural Medicare patients seeking healthcare in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO). The bill expands the ability of Medicare beneficiaries to be assigned to an ACO by allowing assignments based on primary care visits performed by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or clinical nurse specialists.
Source: Office of Representative Suzan DelBene
IHS: Funding Opportunity for Indians Into Medicine (InMed)
Federal Register
Mar 11, 2024 - The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting applications for the Indians into Medicine (InMed) program. The purpose of this program is to increase the number of American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) health professionals by encouraging AI/AN individuals to enter the health professions and removing barriers to serving AI/AN populations. Target populations should not include tribes within North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana, which are served by the existing University of North Dakota InMed grant program. Applications are due by May 14, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 6, 2024 - Discusses the shortage of rural surgeons, noting challenges in building the rural surgeon workforce. Discusses rural training tracks, homegrown workforce, funding needs, and telemedicine as possible solutions for building the workforce.
Source: ACS Bulletin
Feb 29, 2024 - A new partnership between 24 rural and urban tribal organizations will address physician shortages in tribal communities by advocating for more graduate medical education opportunities in tribal medical facilities. The group aims to improve existing health disparities for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Source: Native News Online