THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

141

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there is a critical need for recruitment and retention of physicians to serve rural and medically underserved areas of the State.  The shortage of physicians is compounded by the fact that Hawaii has the fifth oldest physician workforce of all the states and over half of them will be over age sixty-five within ten years.  The physician workforce assessment project has assisted with malpractice reform, thousands of hours of continuing education, loan repayment to physicians working in areas of need, and advertising of all open positions in Hawaii to graduates and on the Internet.  The project is also working to make regional physician supply and demand maps and all available national data available on the Internet.  Future efforts include state-matched loan relief to new providers in the areas of highest unmet need, promotion of Hawaii careers at mainland physician conferences, efforts to enable bonuses for providers practicing in underserved areas, and the formation of an office of rural training for promoting practice in underserved areas in the State.  The funding received through the physician workforce assessment fee will allow Hawaii to act rapidly on tangible solutions to adequately address the physician workforce shortage and the ongoing need for a strong physician workforce.

     The purpose of this Act is to allow the John A. Burns school of medicine to continue to receive a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee until June 30, 2022, to support physician workforce assessment and planning to effect the strategic recruitment and retention of physicians for rural and medically underserved areas of the State, including planning efforts.

     SECTION 2.  Act 18, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, as amended by section 3(2) of Act 186, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, is amended by amending section 9 to read as follows:

     "SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009; provided that sections 3 and 4 shall be repealed on June 30, [2017.] 2022."

     SECTION 3.  Act 186, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, is amended by amending section 5 to read as follows:

     "SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on June 29, 2012; provided that section 1 shall be repealed on June 30, [2017,] 2022, and section 304A-2171(c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on June 28, 2012."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on June 29, 2017.

 



 

Report Title:

Physician Workforce Assessment Fee; John A. Burns School of Medicine

 

Description:

Allows the John A. Burns School of Medicine to continue to receive a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee until June 30, 2022, for ongoing physician workforce assessment and planning to support the recruitment and retention of physicians in the State, particularly those in rural and medically underserved areas.  Takes effect 6/29/2017.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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