Washington Administrative Code › Title 250 - Student Achievement Council › Chapter 250-25 - Health professional loan repayment and scholarship program - Rules and regulations › Section 250-25-030 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions
				in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Board" means the higher education
			 coordinating board.
(2)
			 "Department" means the state department of health.
(3) "Eligible education and training
			 programs" means education and training programs approved by the department that
			 lead to eligibility for a credential as a credentialed health care
			 professional.
(4) "Eligible
			 expenses" means reasonable expenses associated with the costs of acquiring an
			 education such as tuition, books, equipment, fees, room and board, and other
			 expenses approved by the board.
(5)
			 "Eligible student" means a student who has been accepted into an eligible
			 education or training program and has a declared intention to serve in a health
			 professional shortage area upon completion of the education or training
			 program.
(6) "Forgiven" or "to
			 forgive" or "forgiveness" means to render health care services in a health
			 professional shortage area in the state of Washington in lieu of monetary
			 repayment.
(7) "Health professional
			 shortage areas" means those areas where credentialed health care professionals
			 are in short supply as a result of geographic maldistribution or as the result
			 of a short supply of credentialed health care professionals in specialty health
			 care areas and where vacancies exist in serious numbers that jeopardize patient
			 care and pose a threat to the public health and safety. The department shall
			 determine health professional shortage areas. In determining health
			 professional shortage areas in the state the department may be guided by
			 applicable federal standards for "health professional shortage areas," and
			 "medically underserved areas," and "medically underserved
			 populations."
(8) "Credentialed
			 health care profession" means a health care profession regulated by a
			 disciplining authority in the state of Washington and designated as a
			 profession having shortages of credentialed health care professionals in the
			 state.
(9) "Credentialed health
			 care professional" means a person regulated by a disciplining authority in the
			 state of Washington to practice a health care profession.
(10) "Loan repayment" means a loan that is
			 paid in full or in part if the participant renders health care services in a
			 health professional shortage area as defined by the department.
(11) "Nonshortage rural area" means a
			 nonurban area of the state of Washington that has not been designated as a
			 rural physician shortage area. The department shall identify the nonshortage
			 rural areas of the state.
(12)
			 "Participant" means a credentialed health care professional who has received a
			 loan repayment award and has commenced practice as a credentialed health care
			 provider in a designated health professional shortage area or an eligible
			 student who has received a scholarship under this program.
(13) "Program" means the health professional
			 loan repayment and scholarship program.
(14) "Required service obligation" means an
			 obligation by the participant to provide health care services in a health
			 professional shortage area for a period not less than three years and not more
			 than five years.
(15) "Rural
			 physician shortage area" means rural geographic areas where primary care
			 physicians are in short supply as a result of geographic maldistributions and
			 where their limited numbers jeopardize patient care and pose a threat to public
			 health and safety. The department shall designate rural physician shortage
			 areas.
(16) "Sponsoring community"
			 means a rural hospital or hospitals as authorized in
			 chapter
			 70.41 RCW, a rural health
			 care facility or facilities as authorized in
			 chapter
			 70.175 RCW, or a city or
			 county government or governments.
(17) "Scholarship" means a loan that is
			 forgiven in whole or in part if the recipient renders health care service in a
			 designated health professional shortage area in the state.
Statutory Authority: 1991 c 332. 92-03-002, §
										250-25-030, filed 1/3/92,
				  effective 2/3/92.