STAND. COM. REP. NO. 411

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 141

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 141 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support physician workforce assessment and planning to assist with the strategic recruitment and retention of physicians for rural and medically underserved areas of Hawaii by allowing the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine to continue to receive a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, Ohana Health Plan, AlohaCare, Lanai Community Health Center, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians, and eleven individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board.

 

     Your Committees find that Hawaii has a shortage of over five hundred doctors.  In addition to this shortage, Hawaii has the fifth oldest physician workforce in the country.  Your Committees find that access to quality healthcare requires supporting the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, especially in rural and medically underserved areas such as many areas throughout the neighbor islands.

 

     Your Committees note the worthwhile efforts that the physician workforce assessment project has assisted with in recent years, including malpractice reform, continuing education, loan repayment to physicians working in areas of need, and advertising of all open positions in Hawaii to graduates in healthcare professions.  Future efforts of the program include state-matched loan relief to new providers in the areas of highest unmet need, promotion of Hawaii careers at mainland conferences, providing bonuses for providers practicing in underserved areas, and the formation of an office of rural training to promote practice in underserved areas.  Your Committees find that funding from the physician workforce assessment fee will allow Hawaii to act quickly with concrete solutions to adequately address the physician workforce shortage in the State.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting a sunset date that allows the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine to continue receiving a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee until June 30, 2022; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 141, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 141, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair