Research Alert: July 15, 2021

Identification of Rural Communities with Limited Access to Safety Net Healthcare Providers

Location selection for healthcare providers in the U.S. is often analyzed once the location for the healthcare provider has been decided. It has been documented through these studies that urban, well-sourced areas are the preference for providers.

Population health as a key element of the "Triple Aim" for healthcare has increased interest in the identification of high-need areas for planning purposes. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings have made local-level data accessible and easily understood. This report demonstrates how a relatively simple technique can be used to measure the level of potential healthcare need across communities.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• Identification of High-Need Rural Counties to Assist in Resource Location Planning
• Identification of High-Need Rural Counties to Assist in Resource Location Planning for Primary Care
• More information about the Rural and Minority Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Critical Access Hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics