Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 195 - GEORGIA BOARD FOR HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE › Chapter 195-12 - PHYSICIANS FOR RURAL AREAS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM › Rule 195-12-.01 - General Definitions

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) "Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce"
			 means the organization and its office created under O.C.G.A. §
								20-3-510 and authorized under
			 O.C.G.A. §
								31-34-3 to administer the
			 Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance program.
(2) "Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance
			 Program (PRAA)" refers to that program of the Georgia Board of Health Care
			 Workforce authorized under O.C.G.A. §
								31-34-1 through §
								31-34-9, which awards financial
			 loans to physicians who desire to practice in rural communities of
			 Georgia.
(3) "Loans" refers to the
			 service repayable grant awarded by the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
			 to applicants who are desirous of becoming practicing physicians in rural areas
			 of Georgia.
(4) "Loan Repayment"
			 refers to repayment of all or a portion of recipient's outstanding medical
			 education and training loan debt.
(5) "Qualifying debt" is any debt held by an
			 established lending institution, identifiable as origination from the debt
			 incurred to obtain a medical education, fully disclosed at the time of
			 application, and is currently not in default even if the creditor now considers
			 the defaulted loan to be in good standing.
(6) "Medical Education and Training Loan
			 Debt" refers to loans incurred by the applicant to finance his/her medical
			 education and training that remain unpaid during the contract period.
(7) "Eligible and Qualified Applicant" as
			 defined under O.C.G.A §
								31-34-4 refers to, as minimum
			 qualifications, a physician with outstanding medical education and training
			 loan debt, holding a current, unrestricted licensed to practice medicine in the
			 State of Georgia who desires to serve in a Board-approved, medically
			 underserved rural area of Georgia.
(8) "Medical School" means an institution of
			 medical education that has received accreditation or provisional accreditation
			 by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical
			 Association (LCME) or Bureau of Professional Education of the American
			 Osteopathic Association (AOA) for a program in medical education designed to
			 qualify the graduate for licensure by the Georgia Composite Medical
			 Board.
(9) "Recipient" means any
			 person who receives any amount of funding from the Georgia Board of Health Care
			 Workforce /Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance Program.
(10) "Service Repayment" means the period of
			 service earned by the physician, as approved by the Board, toward repayment of
			 the service cancelable loan in professional medical services rendered by the
			 recipient and as required under the provisions of the loan contract.
(11) "Credit" means that the amount of time
			 credited to the recipient for services rendered in compliance with the
			 provisions of the contract. Credit is typically applied one year of funding for
			 each year of service rendered in compliance with the repayment provisions of
			 the contract.
(12) "Rural and
			 Underserved Area" means a the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce approved
			 rural county in Georgia of 50,000 population or less according to the United
			 States decennial census of 2010 or any future such census or at any hospital or
			 facility operated by or under the jurisdiction of Department of Public Health
			 or at any facility operated by or under the jurisdiction of the Department of
			 Corrections or at any facility operated by or under the jurisdiction of the
			 Department of Juvenile Justice or at any facility operated under the
			 jurisdiction of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental
			 Disabilities. Facilities falling under jurisdiction of the mentioned state
			 agencies must include physician employment by approved agency or, in the case
			 of contracted employment, the physician must be treating patients of the
			 approved agency with equal provisions given to that agency's
			 missions.
(13) "Contract Renewal"
			 means the yearly renewal of the loan repayment contract between the recipient
			 and the Board. The contract period shall be renewable on a one-year basis for a
			 period not exceeding four years and a total amount not exceeding
			 $100,000.
(14) "Award Amount"
			 refers to the annual amount obligated to a loan repayment recipient. The award
			 amount shall be determined by the Board. At its annual meeting, the Board may,
			 within its discretion, set the award amount for new loans within the limit of
			 the appropriated funds for the budget year. Said amount shall be set forth in
			 the official minutes of the Board.
(15) "Priority of Specialty" refers to the
			 priority of award consideration given to physician applicants as determined on
			 an annual basis by the Board and recorded in the official minutes.
(16) "Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce"
			 means that agency of Georgia State Government created under O.C.G.A. §
								49-10-1, that has responsibility
			 for monitoring the physician workforce needs of Georgia and identifying areas
			 of need by physician specialty and by geographic area.
(17) "Default" means breach of contract by
			 the recipient in failing to begin of failing to complete the contractual
			 service obligation of the Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance
			 Program.
(18) "Ad Damnum or Double
			 Damages" refers to the penalty resulting from a loan repayment recipient
			 defaulting on their contractual obligations. Default requires immediate
			 repayment of double the total principal amount received less any pro-rated
			 amount for repaid service as provided in the contract.
(19) "Cancellation of Contract" refers to the
			 discretionary power of the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce to cancel any
			 contract for cause deemed sufficient by the Board provided such authority is
			 not exercised unreasonably or arbitrarily.
(20) "Full Time" refers to the minimum number
			 of hours of work required per week to fulfill services obligation. Full time is
			 considered at least 32 clinical hours providing direct patient care during
			 normal clinic hours at the approved practice site. Remaining hours must be
			 spent provided inpatient care to patients and/or in practice-related
			 administrative activities. On-call hours are not considered part of the full
			 time requirement. Full time hours for an OBGYN or Family Practice physicians
			 who practice OB are considered at least 21 of the minimum 40 hours work week
			 must be spent providing direct patient care during normal clinic hours at the
			 approved practice site. The remaining hours must be spent providing inpatient
			 care to patients of the approved site, and/or in practice related
			 administrative activities not to exceed 8 hours per week. 40 hours per week for
			 General Surgery is combined clinical/office hours and surgery/inpatient care
			 with no more than 8 hours per week devoted to practice related administrative
			 duties. For all specialties employed under state jurisdiction, the full time
			 equivalent as recognized by the respective state or federal agency is
			 acceptable. No more than 7 weeks (35 workdays) per year can be spent away from
			 the practice for vacation, holidays, continuing professional education, illness
			 or any other reason. Absences greater than 7 weeks in a service year will
			 extend the service commitment.
O.C.G.A.
				§§
										20-3-510,
				31-34-1,
				31-34-3,
				31-43-5.