Health information technology: Rural Health Research Products & Journal Articles

2024

Understanding the Rise of Ransomware Attacks on Rural Hospitals
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 06/2024
This policy brief presents findings from a novel database of hospital ransomware attacks, focusing on the frequency and characteristics of ransomware attacks on rural hospitals.
What Happens to Rural Hospitals During a Ransomware Attack? Evidence From Medicare Data
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 03/2024
To understand more about how ransomware attacks affect care at rural hospitals, researchers used data on hospital ransomware attacks from 2016 to 2021. This paper describes how ransomware attacks disrupted hospital operations at rural and urban areas, and the implications for these attacks especially in rural areas.

2023

Characteristics of Short-Term Acute Care Hospitals That Experienced a Ransomware Attack From 2016 to 2021
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 08/2023
Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. In this paper, researchers compare the characteristics (including rurality) of ransomware-attacked and non-attacked hospitals in the U.S. in order to understand which hospitals may be most vulnerable to cybercrime.

2021

Higher Electronic Health Record (EHR) Functionality Lowers Urban Hospital Costs but Rural Impacts Are Minimal
Policy Brief
Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Date: 09/2021
Increases in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) functionality are associated with reductions in total hospital costs, driven mainly by lower outpatient costs. However, improvements in EHR functionality do not seem to significantly reduce costs for rural hospitals.

2016

Health Information Exchange: A Strategy for Improving Access for Rural Veterans in the Maine Flex Rural Veterans Health Access Program
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2016
This paper reports on the design and implementation of a first-in-the-nation project to expand rural veterans' access to healthcare by establishing a bi-directional connection between Maine's statewide health information exchange (HIE) and Veterans Administration facilities and centers.
Pilot Testing a Rural Health Clinic Quality Measurement Reporting System
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 02/2016
More than 4,000 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) serve the primary care needs of rural communities. Unfortunately, the Rural Health Clinic Program is plagued by a lack of data participating clinics. This reports on the results with a focus on assessing the feasibility and utility of the reporting system and quality measures for the participating RHCs.

2015

Access to Health Information Technology Training Programs at the Community College Level
Policy Brief
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2015
Successful implementation of health information technology (HIT) in rural areas depends on a well-trained HIT workforce, and community colleges are key in producing this workforce. This study examined HIT workforce development programs in community colleges to find their strengths and needs.
Adoption and Use of Electronic Health Records by Rural Health Clinics: Results of a National Survey
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2015
This study reports the extent of electronic health record implementation and use in a randomly selected sample of 1,497 rural health clinics surveyed in 2013.
Hospital Views of Factors Affecting Telemedicine Use
Policy Brief
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Date: 04/2015
This brief expands upon previous research by examining hospital-based use of telemedicine by determining the type of use by hospitals, whether it be providing services as a hub or receiving services as a spoke, and then identifying factors from the hospitals' perspectives that affect use.
Rural Health Clinic Readiness for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition: Preparing for the Evolving Healthcare Marketplace
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 02/2015
This policy brief reports findings from a survey of rural health clinics (RHC) that examined their capacity to meet the National Council for Quality Assurance patient-centered medical home requirements and discusses the implications of the findings for efforts to support RHC capacity development.

2014

Health Information Technology Workforce Needs of Rural Primary Care Practices
Journal Article
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2014
Assesses electronic health records and heath information technology workforce resources that are needed by rural primary care practices to manage the increasing patient populations.
Integrated Care Management in Rural Communities
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2014
This study reviews the opportunities and challenges reform initiatives under the Affordable Care Act present for rural communities. The study assesses four types of organizational models for delivering integrated care management. Each model has different strengths and drawbacks, weighing for and against implementation in rural areas.
Meaningful Use of the Electronic Health Records by Rural Health Clinics
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 02/2014
This paper identifies the rates of electronic health record adoption among a random national sample of rural health clinics (RHCs) and the extent to which RHCs that have adopted an EHR are likely to achieve Stage 1 meaningful use.
Rural Primary Care Practices and Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records: The Role of Regional Extension Centers
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 2014
Examines the role Regional Extension Centers (RECs) play in assisting rural physician practices implement electronic health records (EHRs).

2013

Case Studies of Regional Extension Centers Serving Rural Practices: Minnesota and North Dakota
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2013
This case study focuses on the HIT Regional Extension Center serving Minnesota and North Dakota and its experiences working with rural physician practices in the two states.
Case Studies of Regional Extension Centers Serving Rural Practices: North Carolina
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2013
This case study focuses on the North Carolina HIT Regional Extension Center and its experience working with rural physician practices in the state.

2011

Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology by Rural Hospitals
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2011
This study examines the current status of meaningful use of health information technology in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural and urban U.S. hospitals, and it discusses the potential role of Medicare payment incentives and disincentives in encouraging CAHs and other rural hospitals to achieve meaningful use.

2010

Current Practices and State Regulations Regarding Telepharmacy in Rural Hospitals
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2010
Telepharmacy practices in rural hospitals in several states were examined, and relevant policies and state laws and regulations were analyzed, along with issues to be addressed as the use of telepharmacy expands.
The Effect of Health Information Technology on Quality in U.S. Hospitals
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 04/2010
This study examines changes in quality of care following adoption of electronic health records among a national sample of U.S. hospitals from 2004 to 2007. The use of computerized physician order entry and electronic health records resulted in significant improvements in two quality measures; larger effects in academic than nonacademic hospitals.

2009

Health Information Technology Policy and Rural Hospitals
Policy Brief
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Date: 06/2009
This brief summarizes the implementation status of key health information technology (HIT) applications in critical access hospitals and other rural hospitals and discusses policies for encouraging HIT adoption in rural hospitals.

2008

Electronic Health Records Adoption: Rural Providers' Decision-Making Process
Policy Brief
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Date: 10/2008
This brief reports findings of a study that examined the decision-making process that small rural physician clinics and hospitals use as they investigate and select an electronic health record system.

2007

Small, Stand-Alone, and Struggling: The Adoption of Health Information Technology by Rural Hospitals
Policy Brief
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Date: 04/2007
This policy brief reports findings from a national survey of rural hospitals designed to investigate how differences among the hospitals affect their implementation of health information technology.
Small, Stand-Alone, and Struggling: The Adoption of Health Information Technology by Rural Hospitals (Working Paper)
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Date: 02/2007
This paper reports the full findings from a national survey of rural hospitals designed to investigate how differences among the hospitals affect their implementation of health information technology.

2006

Roadmap for the Adoption of Health Information Technology in Rural Communities
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Date: 08/2006
This report assists rural providers who are just beginning their investigations into using health information technology and its applicability to their organizations.
The Current Status of Health Information Technology Use in CAHs
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2006
The purpose of this briefing paper is to assess the current status of health information technology use in critical access hospitals nationally.