By: Madla, Zaffirini S.B. No. 1001
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the provision of health care in medically underserved
communities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) In this Act, "medically underserved
community" means a community that has been designated under state
or federal law as a health professional shortage area.
(b) The statewide health coordinating council in
conjunction with area health education centers shall study the
health care delivery system in five geographically diverse
medically underserved communities of the state who request to be
part of the study. Four of the communities must be located in a
county with a population of 50,000 or less. One of the communities
must be located in an urban county. As part of the study the
Department of State Health Services shall:
(1) identify the ways in which nonphysician health
care providers are being used to supplement the provision of health
care services in medically underserved communities;
(2) determine which medically underserved communities
of the state have been successful and unsuccessful in recruiting
and retaining physicians to practice in the community;
(3) identify the nonphysician health care providers
who could, within the scope of the health care providers' license,
certification, or registration, supplement the provision of health
care services in medically underserved communities;
(4) examine whether alternative supervision of
nonphysician health care providers or delivery of services by
nonphysician health care providers in nontraditional settings
would provide a benefit in the delivery of health care services in
medically underserved communities;
(5) examine whether each community is medically
underserved as a result of a shortage of providers, a shortage of
appropriate health care facilities, or both; and
(6) evaluate the measures each medically underserved
community has taken to resolve the health professional shortage in
the community, determine whether those measures have been
successful in reducing the shortage, and identify innovative
solutions that should be replicated.
(c) In performing the study under Subsection (b) of this
section, the Department of State Health Services shall consult with
a variety of the health care practitioners in medically underserved
communities, including emergency medical service providers,
physicians, nonphysician health care providers, rural hospitals,
rural health clinics, and family planning clinics.
(d) The Department of State Health Services shall seek the
participation of, and consult with, representatives of each
medically underserved community in the study to develop ways the
community can improve the delivery of health care services.
(e) Not later than January 1, 2007, the Department of State
Health Services shall report the results of the study conducted
under this section in writing to the lieutenant governor, the
speaker of the house of representatives, and the members and
members-elect of the 80th Legislature. The report must include any
proposed legislation the department, through this study,
determines will facilitate the improvement of the delivery of
health care in medically underserved communities.
(f) This Act expires September 1, 2007.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.