Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)

Research Products & Journal Articles

Browse the full list of research publications on this topic completed by the Rural Health Research Centers.

Products – Freely accessible products include policy briefs, fact sheets, full reports, chartbooks, and interactive data websites.

Journal Articles – Articles in peer-reviewed journals may require a subscription or affiliation with a subscribing library. For these publications, Gateway lists the article citation, a brief summary, a link to additional information and access to the full-text of the article, if available.

2024

Pediatric and Pregnancy-related Visits at Rural Health Clinics in 2018 Among Medicaid/CHIP Enrollees in 20 States
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2024
This policy brief reports on the percentage of Medicaid-enrolled children and reproductive age women with pregnancy-related service use who visited a Rural Health Clinic in 2018 in 20 states.
Identifying Rural Health Clinics Within the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 03/2024
This brief describes a methodology for identifying Rural Health Clinic encounters within the Medicaid claims data using Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files.

2023

Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Family Medicine Practices
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 10/2023
This study evaluated physician, practice, and community characteristics as health care system elements to determine the ability of a primary care practice to address social determinants of health.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Independent and Provider-Based Rural Health Clinics' Operations and Cancer Prevention and Screening Provision in the United States
Journal Article
University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Date: 03/2023
The provision of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) cancer prevention and screening services was examined to identify any changes pre- and peri-pandemic. The research examined overall provision of cancer prevention and screening services by RHCs and the provision of these services by independent RHCs and by provider-based RHCs .

2022

Changes in Access to Community Health Services Among Rural Areas Affected and Unaffected by Hospital Closures Between 2006 and 2018: A Comparative Interrupted Time Series Study
Journal Article
University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2022
In this article, investigators compared access to Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics by those in rural areas affected versus those in rural areas unaffected by hospital closures.
Community Characteristics and Financial and Operational Performance of Rural Health Clinics in the United States: A Chartbook
Chartbook
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2022
This chartbook provides an overview of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) characteristics and issues and will be useful to policymakers and others interested in the performance of RHCs nationally. It provides a discussion of the challenges related to collection and reporting of RHC quality data.

2019

Rural Health Clinic Costs and Medicare Reimbursement
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2019
We used cost report data to examine Rural Health Clinic (RHC) services costs. The findings support the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health & Human Service's conclusion that the cost-based methodology used to determine Medicare reimbursement for RHCs is outdated and RHCs subject to the reimbursement cap are paid less than their costs.

2018

Rural Health Clinic Participation in the Merit-Based Incentive System and Other Quality Reporting Initiatives: Challenges and Opportunities
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2018
This brief discusses the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) within the context of past and current Rural Health Clinic (RHC) quality reporting initiatives and assesses options for encouraging RHCs to voluntarily participate in MIPS.

2017

The Relationship Between Rural Health Clinic Use and Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Journal Article
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Date: 07/2017
Uses 2007-2010 Medicare data to examine the relationship between Rural Health Clinic (RHC) use and potentially preventable hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits. RHC use was associated with an increase in both preventable hospitalizations and ED visits among all Medicare enrollees, regardless of their reason for eligibility.

2016

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Beneficiary Assignment Update
Policy Brief
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Date: 06/2016
This brief updates Brief No. 2014-3 and explains changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Accountable Care Organization regulations issued in June 2015 pertaining to beneficiary assignment for Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs. Understanding ACO beneficiary assignment policies is dire in managing ACO providers and beneficiaries.
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

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.
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

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.

2010

Are Rural Health Clinics Part of the Rural Safety Net?
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2010
This policy brief examines whether rural health clinics are part of the rural safety net.
Safety Net Activities of Independent Rural Health Clinics
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2010
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) provide primary care services to rural residents of 45 states. Since RHCs are in underserved rural areas and serve vulnerable populations, many consider them safety net providers. In this paper, we explore whether, and to what extent, independent RHCs are serving a safety net role or have the capacity to do so.
Encouraging Rural Health Clinics to Provide Mental Health Services: What Are the Options?
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2010
This study examined changes in the delivery of mental health services by rural health clinics (RHCs), their operational characteristics, barriers to the development of services, and policy options to encourage more RHCs to deliver mental health services.
The Provision of Mental Health Services by Rural Health Clinics
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2010
This study examined changes in the delivery of mental health services by rural health clinics (RHCs), their operational characteristics, barriers to the development of services, and policy options to encourage more RHCs to deliver mental health services.

2003

The Characteristics and Roles of Rural Health Clinics in the United States: A Chartbook
Chartbook
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2003
This chartbook reports on a rural health clinics (RHCs) survey. Information was collected on many topics, including their characteristics/operations; their location relative to the underservice problems/rural access needs; their safety net functions; staffing, recruitment, and financial issues; and involvement in training healthcare professionals.

2000

Potential Supply-Side Implications of the BBA Limits on Reimbursement to Provider-Based Rural Health Clinics
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Date: 06/2000
This policy analysis brief examines whether provider-based (typically hospital operated) rural health clinics are likely to close due to the reimbursement cap introduced by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.