Hospitals and clinics
Completed Projects
Achieving Equity in Disproportionate Share Payments to Rural Hospitals: An Examination of MedPAC's Revised Disproportionate Share Formula
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Legislation and regulation
Analysis of the Cesarean Section Rates in Rural Hospitals
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Maternal and child health
This project will describe the practice patterns for deliveries in rural hospitals. Cesarean section rates in rural hospitals will be compared to urban hospitals and the national rate.
Analysis of the Financial Conditions of Health Care Institutions in the Appalachian Region and their Economic Impacts
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
Topics:
Economic development,
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics
Assessment of Small Rural Hospital Activities to Report Medication Errors
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Pharmacy and prescription drugs,
Quality
This research will determine how small rural hospitals have responded to the environmental pressure to improve patient safety and quality by implementing safe medication practices and by reporting and monitoring medication errors.
Beyond Simple Ranking: Identifying and Empirically Testing Alternative Approaches for Recognizing Quality in Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
The purpose of this project is to explore several alternative methods for assessing the relative quality of hospitals using data from the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project and Hospital Compare.
Burdens of HIPAA on Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Legislation and regulation
Capital Needs of Small Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Capital funding,
Hospitals and clinics
Cash Flow of Small Rural Hospitals: The Impact of the Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Changing Role of the Rural Hospital
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
Topics:
Health services,
Hospitals and clinics
Comparison of Coding and Billing Practices Among Selected Small Rural and Urban Hospital Outpatient Departments
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Counting Rural Health Care Facilities: A Moving Target?
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Home health,
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Declining Access to Hospital-based Obstetric Services in Rural Areas: Causes and Impact
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health policy,
Hospitals and clinics,
Legislation and regulation,
Maternal and child health,
Women
This study examines the declining availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. It examines potential causes for this trend and explores the effects of medical malpractice reforms.
Describing the Health Care Infrastructure in Rural Towns
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs),
Hospitals and clinics,
Mid-level practitioners,
Physicians,
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs),
Rural statistics and demographics
Developing Relevant Quality Indicators for Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
Discrepancies of Financial Data between Medicare Cost Report and Hospital Audited Financial Statement and Its Implication for Measuring Financial Impact of Payment Policy on Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Health policy,
Hospitals and clinics
Effective Strategies for Achieving HIPAA Compliance Among Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Legislation and regulation
Effects of Local Hospital Transitions on Rural Economic Development
Research center:
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Topics:
Economic development,
Hospitals and clinics
Emergency Department Use by Medically Indigent Rural Residents
Research center:
South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Emergency medical services (EMS),
Health insurance and the uninsured,
Hospitals and clinics
Establishing Evidenced-based Safety Standards for Rural Hospitals - Phase 1
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funders:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ),
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
This project will develop and test evidence-based safety improvement interventions in rural hospitals by identifying key patient safety areas and interventions of particular relevance to rural hospitals that have the potential to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety.
Examining the Magnitudes, Geographic Variations, and Determinants Of Expenditures Due to Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions in Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions,
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics
This project will document the magnitude of and variation in ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC) expenditures of rural hospitals and explore the relationships between rural hospital ACSC expenditure and its key determinants in the areas of population demand, health care system supply, and provider practice style.
Factors Contributing to Unit Cost Instability in the Low-Volume Hospital
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Factors Contributing to Variation in Medicare Inpatient Payment Ratios
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Medicare Payment Advisory Committion
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Factors Shaping Rural Hospital Managed Care Strategies
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics
Financial Impact of Outpatient Payment Reform on Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
How Will Rural Hospitals Meet Requirements for Patient Privacy?
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Legislation and regulation
Impact of the Proposed Medicare Prospective Payment Reforms on Rural Hospitals in Selected States
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Investments in Health Information Technology by Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health information technology,
Hospitals and clinics
This study involved a national survey of rural hospitals conducted in late spring 2006 to gather data about readiness to adopt health IT, current use of different technologies, perceptions about the benefits and barriers to health IT adoption, future implementation plans, use of Federal programs designed to facilitate IT adoption, and interest in various health IT policy options.
Medicare Payment for Post-Acute Care Transfers
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Health policy,
Hospitals and clinics
Occupational Mix Differences Across PPS Hospitals: Analysis of Hospital Occupation Mix Survey Data and Implications for Rural Hospital Payments
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS),
Workforce
This study addresses the occupation-mix adjustment that has recently been added to the computation of the area wage index used to adjust Medicare prospective rates for all institutional health care providers. The study will review the policy objectives as well as the mechanics of the adjustment, and then analyze the data from the most recent occupation-mix survey to obtain a better understanding of occupation mix differences across labor markets and hospital types.
Options for Structuring Disproportionate Share (DSH) Payments to Account for Uncompensated Care: Impact on Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Health policy,
Hospitals and clinics
This study will identify options for development of an equitable DSH payment adjustment that accounts for hospital uncompensated care costs and determine the financial impact of each of these proposals on rural hospitals, using simulations with data from Washington, West Virginia, Texas, and Iowa.
Pay-for-Performance and Quality Improvement in Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
This project will estimate the impact on rural hospitals in the U.S. of a pay-for-performance (PFP) program similar to the CMS-sponsored Premier, Inc. Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration; synthesize the major factors that will influence the inclusion of rural hospitals in PFP programs; and make recommendations for the design of PFP programs that will appropriately reward rural hospitals for improving quality.
Preventing Errors in Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
Quality of Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients in U.S. Rural Hospitals
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
Rapid Response: Elimination of Bad Debt Payments to Rural PPS Hospitals
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
The purpose of this project is to examine: (1) the extent to which elimination of Medicare Bad Debt payments will reduce reimbursement to rural PPS hospitals and (2) how rural hospitals would respond to this reduction in reimbursement.
Refining and Field Testing a Relevant Set of Quality Measures for Rural Hospitals
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality
This project will field test the feasibility of collecting and using a relevant set of quality measures from rural hospitals with the provision of technical assistance and support from Quality Improvement Organizations.
Role of Inpatient Psychiatric Units in Small Rural Hospitals and Rural Mental Health Systems
Research center:
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health services,
Hospitals and clinics,
Mental health
This is a descriptive, exploratory study which will investigate the role of the small rural hospital IPU from the perspectives of both the rural hospital, in terms of scope of services and revenue enhancement, and the regional mental health system, meeting the needs of outpatient mental health and primary care providers, law enforcement, and human services.
Role of Rural Hospitals in Community-Centered Systems of Care: Supporting Population Health Improvement for Rural Communities
Research center:
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health services,
Hospitals and clinics
This project will assess the degree to which rural hospitals engage in activities that facilitate community responsiveness and the provision of community-oriented services, using 1996 to 2004 data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey and the Area Resource File.
Rural Emergency Department Staffing: Implications for the Quality of Emergency Care Provided in Rural Areas
Research center:
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Emergency medical services (EMS),
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality,
Workforce
This project will describe emergency department (ED) staffing patterns in rural hospitals; determine how the certification, training, and experience of ED physicians and other providers in different ED staffing models vary; and assess the implications of rural ED staffing for the quality of emergency care in rural areas, continuity of care, and rural EDs’ role as safety net providers.
Rural Hospital Closures, 1990-2000: Community Profiles and Economic Indicators Before and After the Event
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Economic development,
Hospitals and clinics
This study investigated the economic impact of hospital closures in non- metropolitan counties, taking into account the economic characteristics and employment trends that may have preceded the event.
Rural Hospital Participation in the 340B Drug Discount Program
Research centers:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center,
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Pharmacy and prescription drugs
The 340B drug discount program enables certain types of safety net organizations to obtain deeply discounted medications, at prices below the 'best price' typically offered to Medicaid agencies. This study used telephone interviews and mail surveys to explore the experiences that rural hospitals have had in seeking 340B eligibility status.
Rural Hospitals' Access to Capital
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Capital funding,
Hospitals and clinics
Rural Hospitals' Strategic Response to PPS for Outpatient, SNF, and HH Services
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health services,
Home health,
Hospitals and clinics,
Long term care,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Rural Safety Net Provision and Hospital Care in 11 States
Research center:
ORHP-funded Individual Grantees
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions,
Health services,
Hospitals and clinics
This project evaluated whether access to primary care is more effective at improving health outcomes and reducing costs in rural than urban markets, and identified the characteristics of communities which contribute to improved health outcomes and reducing preventable hospitalizations. This research informs policy relating funding access provision through public clinics to reduce the burden of uncompensated or under-compensated care on financially strained rural hospitals.
Successful Implementation of Medication Safety Initiatives in Rural Hospitals: The Role of Pharmacists and Technology
Research center:
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Pharmacy and prescription drugs,
Quality,
Technology
This project will assess the capacity of rural hospitals to implement medication safety practices that reduce the likelihood of serious adverse drug events, and will identify factors that facilitate successful implementation of medication safety practices in rural hospitals.
Trends in Swing Bed and Skilled Nursing Facility Use in Rural Hospitals, 1996-2003
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Aging,
Hospitals and clinics,
Long term care,
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
This study will examine trends in the distribution of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services in rural hospitals during a period of dramatic change in Medicare reimbursement, most notably the transition from cost-based reimbursement to SNF prospective payment system (PPS).
Understanding the Roles of the Rural Hospital in Responding to Bioterrorist Attacks and Other Emergencies
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Emergency preparedness,
Hospitals and clinics
What is Causing the Increase in Rural Hospital Costs?
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing,
Hospitals and clinics
Related Topics
These related topics also list completed projects:
