ArticleLaryngoscope investigative otolaryngology2026
The Impact of Rurality on Durable Medical Equipment Access and Discharge Planning for Tracheostomy and Ventilation Care in Nebraska.
Article in Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- The Impact of Rurality on Durable Medical Equipment Access and Discharge Planning for Tracheostomy and Ventilation Care in Nebraska.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objectives: Recognize how rurality impacts safe discharge planning and home management for complex airway patients. This study explores the distribution of durable medical equipment (DME) companies for patients with tracheostomies and/or ventilators, aiming to identify patterns in service access statewide. Methods: Key informant phone surveys assessed active DME companies statewide. DME companies were identified through hospital referral lists, discharge directories, and online searches. Data collected included service radius, respiratory supplies, and ventilation types. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping visualized coverage. Rural-urban status was classified using rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes. Results: Of 16 companies identified, 6 were closed, leaving 50 active locations. Among these, 22% ( Conclusion: Geographic disparities limit DME access for rural patients requiring tracheostomy and invasive ventilation. Surgeons should be aware that patients may live over 1.5 h from a capable DME company. Presence of a DME company does not ensure a specific location offers specialized supplies or equipment. Realistic discharge planning is essential to ensure care continuity, reduce emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, and preventable complications. Level of Evidence: 4.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.