Announcement

President's Report
by: Rod Betit (February 16, 2007)

Summary: HB18, WWAMI, passed out of the Alaska House of Representatives on a 37 to 0 vote! Thanks to all of you who responded to the ‘call for action’ and contacted your representatives. The bill is now in the Senate and should replace SB73, Senate look-alik

Full Story: PRESIDENT’S REPORT February 16, 2007 ________________________________________  HB18, WWAMI, passed out of the Alaska House of Representatives on a 37 to 0 vote! Thanks to all of you who responded to the ‘call for action’ and contacted your representatives. The bill is now in the Senate and should replace SB73, Senate look-alike bill, as the main vehicle for making the WWAMI expansion happen. We are on a tight timeframe to make this happen in time for the University of Washington to admit 20 instead of 10 Alaskans to their medical school this year.  SB 73 was the only other bill being tracked by ASHNHA that had a hearing this week. SB73 did not move out of committee and is scheduled for another hearing next week. However, as mentioned earlier, Senate discussion should turn from SB73 to HB18 next week.  There was an opportunity for me to present to Senate Labor & Commerce this week on the many other health care professional shortages we face besides physicians. I stressed the need for the Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development to set aside funding specifically to support our health profession needs throughout the State. This has not been the case in past years. The Committee was receptive to this request. ________________________________________ Why is the WWAMI program expansion so important versus the other strategies identified by the Physician Supply Taskforce to increase the number of physicians in Alaska? As a member of that Taskforce I can report that we concluded it would take a net gain of 59 physicians per year versus the current 38 physicians per year to reach our physician goals by 2025. That is a difference of 21 additional physicians per year. Expanding the WWAMI program to 20 students per year gets us halfway to our annual goal starting seven years out when physicians begin to actually complete their residency. If we can expand the WWAMI program to 30 students over the next 3 to 4 years, by the time we get 10 years out we will be gaining the additional 20 physicians per year if all other things remain constant. The exciting thing is that these new physicians will be young Alaskans who will be coming home to practice and will be more likely to stay in Alaska for their entire careers. This is a true ‘grow our own’ strategy. Will it work? The data shows that for every 10 WWAMI students funded, 8 return to Alaska to practice. That said it is important not to lose sight of the other solutions to address our physician shortage, i.e. increased residency positions, loan repayment, physician recruiting bonuses, etc. Work will proceed to develop each of these, particularly since several of these strategies will help fill the physician gap we face in the shorter term until the expanded WWHAMI investment begins to pay off 7 years out. Once these other strategies are fully deployed we should comfortably reach our physician growth targets in the ‘out’ years. Our overall physician supply strategy is well thought out in my view and will get the job done as long as we stay focused on our goals. ________________________________________ At its monthly meeting on Thursday, February 15, the ASHNHA Executive Committee reviewed a proposal from anti-CON advocates that would have required some concessions on CON requirements for imaging centers in exchange for a promise not to move forward with CON legislation or the CON initiative. After careful deliberation the Executive Committee determined that the concessions sought were NOT in the best interests of Alaska communities and declined to agree to them. Therefore, at this time ASHNHA remains committed to the CON Policy Paper issued during the 2006 election season. This position paper supports CON laws as it currently exists without any further modification. If you are interested in a copy of that policy paper please let me know rbetit@ashnha.com . ________________________________________ Governor Palin signed an Administrative Order No. 232 establishing the Alaska Health Care Strategies Council to address “various aspects of Alaska’s health care system.” She states that “The new planning initiative provided for in this Order will not duplicate previous efforts, but will synthesize and build upon them.” Governor Palin’s order challenges the Council “to develop a statewide plan to identify short-term and long-term strategies to effectively address the issues of access to, and cost and quality of, health care for Alaskans.” The Council will be named in March 2007 and is required to submit its ‘health care action plan’ to the Governor and Legislature by January 1, 2008. Commissioner Karleen Jackson of Alaska DHSS was present with Governor Palin and expressed her expectations that this broad based approach to addressing these issues will replace the old practice of dealing with health care problems and challenges in isolation, thereby creating ‘unintended consequences’ that demanded further problem solving. ________________________________________ LEGISLATIVE SNAPSHOT (‘Ctrl + click’ on Bill # takes you to latest version of bill on Web) (Red font denotes change in status since last update) House Bills Bill # Sponsor Title/Description Position Status HB4 HES, L&C, & Finance Lynn An Act amending the CON requirements to apply only to health care facilities that are nursing homes or residential psychiatric treatment centers or that are located in a borough with a population of not more than 25,000, in the unorganized borough, or in a community with a critical access hospital. Oppose In HES No Hearing Scheduled CSHB18 HES & Finance Meyer An Act making WWHAMI amendments that change the functions and powers of the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education to give it authority to increase the number of medical students placed, and adds a requirement for payback of financial assistance if the student does not return to Alaska to practice medicine. Strongly Support Passed House Sent to Senate HB35 L&C, & Finance Kawasaki An Act extending the termination date for the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives; and providing for an effective date. Neutral In L&C, No Hearing Scheduled HB55 HES & Finance Kelly An Act relating to Postsecondary Education that authorizes expansion of the WWHAMI program to 20 students. Strongly Support Provisions Merged by Sponsor into HB18 HB71 L&C & Finance Kawasaki An Act requiring licensure of occupations relating to radiologic technology, radiation therapy, and nuclear medicine technology Support In L&C, No Hearing Scheduled Senate Bills Bill # Sponsor Title/Description Position Status SB8 HES, JUD & Finance Davis Relating to a mental health patient’s right to choose the gender of the hospital staff providing intimate care to the mental health patient and to the duties of hospital staff in caring for patients receiving mental health treatment. Oppose In HES, No Hearing Scheduled SB27 HES & Finance Davis Relating to eligibility requirements for medical assistance for certain children, pregnant women and persons in medical or intermediate care facilities. Pending In HES, No Hearing Scheduled SB28 HES, L&C, & Finance Davis Relating to limitations on mandatory overtime for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in health care. Oppose In HES No Hearing Scheduled SB29 HES, L&C, & Finance Dyson Requiring certain hospitals to make certain disclosures on patient billings. Pending Meeting with Sponsor In HES No Hearing Scheduled SB32 HES & Finance Wilken An Act relating to postsecondary educational services and programs for Alaska residents; relating to a student loan repayment program for medical doctors, and amending the duties of the State Medical Board that relate to the program; relating to a student loan repayment program for registered nurses, and amending the duties of the Board of Nursing that relate to the program Support In HES No Hearing Scheduled SB62 HES & Finance Stevens An Act establishing the Advisory Committee on Public Reporting of Health Care Associated Infections, relating to reporting and dissemination of data concerning health care associated infections, and providing for an effective date Pending Exec Committee Review In HES No Hearing Scheduled SB65 HES & Finance Huggins An Act amending the certificate of need requirements to apply only to health care facilities that are nursing homes or residential psychiatric treatment centers or that are located in a borough with a population of not more than 25,000, in the unorganized borough, or in a community with a critical access hospital. Oppose In HES No Hearing Scheduled SB73 SED, HES & Finance Ellis An Act amending the functions and powers of the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education; and relating to the repayment provisions for medical education and postsecondary degree program participants." Support In SED Hearing Feb 21 @ 8am ________________________________________ Upcoming Meetings of Interest: • ASHNHA 2007 Winter Meeting (Juneau) - NEW DATES March 29-30, 2007. A room block has been reserved at the Gold Belt Hotel for the nights of March 29 and 30. The phone numbers are - toll-free: 888-478-6909 or 907-586-6900. Meetings will be held at the Centennial Hall adjacent to the Hotel. The ASHNHA Board meeting will occur on March 30. • AHA Annual Meeting (D.C.) - May 6 through 9, 2007 in Washington, D.C. • National Rural Health Association Meeting (Anchorage) - May 14 through 17, 2007 in Anchorage, Alaska. • ASHNHA 2007 Annual Meeting (Petersburg) – to be held in conjunction with education sessions August 6 through August 9, 2007 in Petersburg. The ASHNHA meeting will take place on August 8 & 9.

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