Understanding volunteerism in rural EMS Project funded: September 2007 Project completed: August 2010 Emergency medical services (EMS) providers are continually challenged to maintain an adequate workforce. A survey of state EMS directors in 2004 suggests that volunteerism is declining in rural areas. Communities may respond to declining volunteerism in a variety of ways including conversion… Read more »
Rural-urban Comparison of Hospital Financial Performance by Medicare Payment Classification
Contact: George H. Pink, PhD, 919.843.2728, gpink@email.unc.edu Project funded: September 2008 Project completed: August 2010 Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Medicare The standard mechanism for Medicare payment for hospital services is the Prospective Payment System, but four specific hospital classifications, each with different payment enhancements and qualification criteria, are available to hospitals that serve rural communities [sole community… Read more »
Rural Medicaid and CHIP Mini-Studies
Learn more about Medicaid and CHIP in our mini-studies Lead researcher: Rebecca T. Slifkin, PhD Project funded: September 2009 Project completed: December 2010 Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are important sources of health insurance coverage, especially in rural communities. In 2007, we created a website with state-level Medicaid enrollment data in rural… Read more »
Rural Emergency Department Preparedness for Pediatric Care
About this project Lead researcher: Victoria Freeman, DrPH, RN Project completed: May 2010 In 2006, the Institute of Medicine published its report “Emergency Care for Children: Growing Pains” as part of its Future of Emergency Care series. Children comprise 27% of all emergency room admissions; yet, one survey found that only 6% of emergency departments… Read more »
Medicaid and SCHIP Participation in Rural and Urban Areas
Medicaid and SCHIP Participation in Rural and Urban Areas Lead researcher: Rebecca T. Slifkin, PhD Project funded: September 2008 Project completed: August 2010 Medicaid and SCHIP are important source of health insurance coverage in rural communities. The programs also are vital sources of income for rural healthcare providers. However, it can be difficult to obtain… Read more »
Factors Associated with Provision of Ambulance Services by Rural Hospitals
Learn more about rural hospital ambulance services factors Lead researcher: Victoria Freeman, DrPH, RN Project funded: September 2008 Project completed: August 2010 Rural emergency medical services (EMS) agencies face continual challenges to ensure a trained workforce to meet the prehospital emergency care needs of their communities. A reliance on volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMTs) with… Read more »
Mini-Studies to Inform Health Reform Efforts
About this project Project funded: September 2009 Project completed: August 2011 Characteristics of rural residents, combined with challenges faced by rural providers, make rural health care systems far more vulnerable to changes in federal health care policy than are those in urban areas. Because of the characteristics of rural residents and providers, federal health care… Read more »
Impact of surgery on rural hospital market share
Examining the impact of surgery on rural hospital market share Anecdotal evidence supports the notion that the viability of many rural hospitals is strongly affected by their offering surgical services. Contact: George H. Pink, PhD Project funded: September 2009 Project completed: March 2011 Recent studies showing a decline in the general surgery workforce in rural… Read more »
Office of Rural Health Policy: Cooperative Agreement for Rapid Response to Issue-Specific Rural Research
About this project Office of Rural Health Policy: Cooperative Agreement for Rapid Response to Issue-Specific Rural Research. Lead researcher: Rebecca T. Slifkin, PhD Project funded: January 2006 Project completed: August 2012 Publications 2012-14 Profitability of Urban and Rural Hospitals by Medicare Payment Classification Policy Brief North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center Date:… Read more »
What Happens after Acute Inpatient Care is No Longer Provided by a Rural Hospital?
About this project This project will investigate the precursors to the closure of acute inpatient care by rural hospitals and the post-closure configuration of health care services in the community. Contact: George H. Pink, PhD Project funded: September 2014 Project completed: August 2015 Publications A Comparison of Closed Rural Hospitals and Perceived Impact Policy Brief… Read more »
What Does it Cost to Operate a Rural Free-Standing Emergency Department (RFED)?
About this project In recent months, there have been numerous media reports of rural hospital closures and their adverse effect on communities. Contact: George H. Pink, PhD Research staff: Kristie Thompson, MA Project funded: September 2014 Project completed: December 2015 In the face of hospital closure, one alternative for maintaining access to healthcare is a… Read more »
21st Century Rural Hospital: Outpatient Services and Access to Care
About this project The services rural hospitals provide have changed dramatically over the past decades as they have expanded to provide outpatient services that are both needed by their communities and that support their financial viability. Contact: Victoria Freeman, DrPH, RN Project funded: September 2012 Project completed: March 2015 In this study we will explore… Read more »
What Would be the Financial Consequence of Eliminating Low Volume Hospital Payments?
About this project The standard mechanism for Medicare payment for hospital services is the Prospective Payment System, but hospitals receive an additional payment if they qualify as a low-volume hospital (LVH). Contact: George H. Pink, PhD Project funded: September 2015 Project completed: October 2016 Created in 1987, the LVH classification was set to expire at… Read more »
Rural Health Clinics: Medicare & Medicaid Profile (Year 2)
About this project Year 2 of a project developing a longitudinal data collection/tracking mechanism of key RHC Medicare claims data and cost report elements. Contact: Mark Holmes, PhD Project funded: September 2013 Project completed: March 2016 RHC Medicaid data for a sample of states also will be requested and analyzed to determine utilization patterns and… Read more »
How Have Changes in Insurance Coverage Under Health Reform Affected Uncompensated Care and Financial Performance in Rural Hospitals? (Year 2)
About this project The implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is changing hospital reimbursement in important ways. Lead researcher: Mark Holmes, PhD Project funded: September 2015 Project completed: August 2016 One of the most significant changes is the expansion of health insurance coverage to previously uninsured populations. Since rural residents are… Read more »