MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2017 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Human Services

By: Representatives Mims, Sykes, Dixon, Gibbs (72nd)

House Bill 422

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 41-123-1, 41-123-7 AND 41-123-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE OFFICE OF MISSISSIPPI PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER (UMMC) TO ASSIST IN THE CREATION AND/OR SUPPORT OF ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION (ACGME) ACCREDITED GME TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE STATE FOR OTHER NEEDED RESIDENCIES IN ADDITION TO FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCIES; TO DELETE REQUIREMENT THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT AWARDED BY UMMC TO A HOSPITAL OR ENTITY TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE AN ACGME ACCREDITED RESIDENCY BE DISTRIBUTED OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 41-123-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     41-123-1.  There is established the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce within the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) for the purpose of overseeing the physician workforce development and needs, both in numbers and distribution, of the State of Mississippi.  The office shall have a director who must be a physician licensed in the State of Mississippi.  In addition, the office shall have a researcher to assist the director in collecting and analyzing data concerning the physician workforce needs of Mississippi and other necessary staff to assist in its work.  The office shall have the following duties, at a minimum:

          (a)  Assessing the current numbers, ages, types of practice, hospital affiliations, and geographic distribution of physicians in each medical specialty in Mississippi;

          (b)  Assessing the current and future physician workforce needs of the State of Mississippi;

          (c)  * * *Supporting the creation of Family Medicine residency programs in the State of Mississippi, including the awarding of state financial support for the creation of those programs Assisting in the creation and/or support of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited GME training programs in the State of Mississippi based on needs analysis and criteria established by the office and the advisory board while maintaining a strong and continued priority focus on family medicine.  This support may include the awarding of state financial assistance as available, for the creation or support of family medicine residencies and other GME programs approved by the advisory board;

          (d)  Encouraging the development of an adequate and geographically distributed physician workforce in all specialties for the State of Mississippi with an evolving strategic plan; and

          (e)  Providing an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, the State Board of Health, and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning on the current status of the physician workforce and training programs in Mississippi.

     SECTION 2.  Section 41-123-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     41-123-7.  (1)  The advisory board shall recommend policies and procedures for the awarding of state funding that creates and/or provides sustaining support for the desired number of ACGME accredited Family Medicine residency programs and other valued and needed ACGME residencies approved by the advisory board that will accept both M.D. and D.O. students * * *needed in the State of Mississippi.

     (2)  * * *The UMMC with the input of the advisory board shall have the authority to award financial support, from funds specifically appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature, of up to Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) * * *distributed over three (3) years to any hospital or entity with demonstrated commitment and resources, as determined by UMMC with input from the advisory board, to establish and operate an ACGME accredited Family Medicine residency program or other GME program qualifying under subsection (1) of this section.  The funds will be dispersed at the determination of * * *the UMMC, with input from the advisory board, and may include start-up funding and/or provide sustaining support for residency programs.

     (3)  Each applicant for state financial support for creation of * * *a Family Medicine an ACGME residency program as authorized under this section must submit an application to * * *the UMMC through the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce that conforms to requirements established by this chapter * * *, and by UMMC with input from the advisory board.

     (4)  In selecting recipients for state financial support authorized under this section, following criteria and recommendations from the advisory board, * * *the UMMC may use its discretion to award funding based on * * *geographic demographic needs and the future success of * * *a Family Medicine the residency program.

     (5)  An applicant for state financial support for creation of * * *a Family Medicine an ACGME accredited residency program may receive funding only upon approval of UMMC with input from the advisory board.

     SECTION 3.  Section 41-123-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     41-123-11.  Any * * *Family Medicine residency program established with state financial support must at a minimum be capable of accepting students from both * * *medical allopathic and osteopathic medical schools that are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

     SECTION 4.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2017.

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