Title: Physician Workforce Development

Summary: Requiring the Department of Health to adopt any rules necessary to implement a specified federal program to further encourage qualified physicians to relocate to and practice in underserved areas, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to physician workforce development; amending s. 381.4018, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health to adopt any rules necessary to implement a specified federal program to further encourage qualified physicians to relocate to and practice in underserved areas; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) of section 381.4018, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 381.4018 Physician workforce assessment and development.  (3) GENERAL FUNCTIONS. The department shall maximize the use of existing programs under the jurisdiction of the department and other state agencies and coordinate governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders and resources in order to develop a state strategic plan and assess the implementation of such strategic plan. In developing the state strategic plan, the department shall: (f) Develop strategies to maximize federal and state programs that provide for the use of incentives to attract physicians to this state or retain physicians within the state. Such strategies should explore and maximize federal-state partnerships that provide incentives for physicians to practice in federally designated shortage areas. Strategies shall also consider the use of state programs, such as the Medical Education Reimbursement and Loan Repayment Program pursuant to s. 1009.65, which provide for education loan repayment or loan forgiveness and provide monetary incentives for physicians to relocate to underserved areas of the state. To further encourage qualified physicians to relocate to and practice in underserved areas, the department, following federal requirements, shall adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of the Conrad Waiver Program established under s. 214(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.