FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2508

                         C 103 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Modifying the health professional temporary resource pool.

By Representatives Dellwo, Dyer and L. Johnson; by request of Department of Health.

House Committee on Health Care

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Background:  Under a 1990 state law, the Department of Health has administrative responsibility for the Health Professional Temporary Substitute Resource Pool program.  The program is intended to assist rural communities in providing short-term assistance in obtaining health providers where shortages exist.  The department contracts with the Area Health Education Center, an affiliate of Washington State University, which works directly with the communities and administers the program.

The department must establish the program, but its authority to contract for providing assistance to local communities is unclear.

The department must screen health providers, who are on the registry as available for practice on a short-term basis, for any unprofessional conduct.

For participating health providers, the department is required to reimburse travel and lodging, purchase or reimburse the cost of malpractice insurance premiums if necessary, and provide information on back-up support.  The  department may require a community match.

Certified Health Plans are not referenced as entities that may request assistance.

The department is required to establish the procedures and forms for the resource pool program and to respond promptly to all requests for assistance.

Summary:  The Department of Health is expressly authorized to contract with entities in meeting its responsibilities for the Health Care Professional Substitute Resource Pool.

The department must list on a register those health practitioners available for temporary practice in rural communities, but its responsibility for screening providers for unprofessional conduct is repealed.

The rural community sites may receive reimbursement from the department for travel and lodging and malpractice insurance costs for participating practitioners, but the site is responsible for all salary expenses and referral and back-up coverage information.

Certified health plans may request temporary substitute provider assistance.

The department may either provide or contract for services that establish procedures and forms and that respond to requests for provider assistance.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 91 0

Senate 46 0

Effective:  June 9, 1994