MINUTES
WVRHEP RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COMMITTEE MEETING
November 15, 2004, Days Inn, Flatwoods
Attending: Penny Rose Asbury, David Brown, Patricia Crawford, Deborah Curry, Tom Hefner, Lew Holloway, Jill Hutchinson, Sandra Y. Pope, Anna Reno, Melissa Wheeler, Bob Whitler. Staff: Alicia Tyler. Absent: Jay Bonfili, Norm Ferrari, Marilyn Fox, Mike Holt, Sharon Lansdale, E. Jane Martin, Jill McDaniel, Shirley Neel, JoAnn Raines, Jessica Sharp, Bob Walker. Guests: Sandy Poe, Akira Roy, Ken Shannon, Jon Willis, Sharon Giles, Elizabeth D. "Betsy" Degges.
Bob Whitler, serving as chair, opened the meeting. The minutes of the September 15th meeting were approved.
Staff Report - Health Sciences Scholarship Outcomes
Alicia presented charts that showed service outcomes on HSSP. (Providers still in training are not included.)
MD/DO students who received HSSP and graduated from 1996-2001:
- 48 family practice and 25 (52%) in service (are serving or have served) in rural WV
- 10 internal medicine and 3 in service (30%)
- 6 medicine/pediatrics and 2 in service (33%)
- 5 obstetrics/gynecology and 4 in service (80%)
- 7 pediatrics and 2 in service (29%)
- 1 psychiatry and 0 in service
Lack of service in pediatrics may be related to the closing of delivery services in rural hospitals. Alicia will work with Jodie and the Evaluation Committee to look at the backgrounds of providers who default. Most stay in the state in urban locations. A few have taken in-state faculty positions.
Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Educator students who graduated from 1996-2004:
- 50 NP/NE students and 37 (74%) in service
Physician Assistant students who graduated from 1996-2004:
- 21 PA students and 13 (62%) in service
- PA applications have dropped off in recent years
Health Sciences Scholarship Applications
The review committees recommended funding 13 of the 17 applications received. Thirteen awards would require spending the annual appropriation ($148,500) and approximately 20% of the revolving fund, which includes paybacks from previous years.
Recommended awards:
9 MD/DO students $180,000 ($20,000 each)
3 NP/1 PA students 40,000 ($10,000 each)
$220,000 Total
Two NP applications will be held over for review at the March meeting, depending on outcome of staff follow-up.
The Committee voted on motion (Pope/Reno) to approve the following medical students:
Marshall School of Medicine: Jon R. Bowen, Ellie E. Hood, Gina Jereza-Harris.
WVU School of Medicine: Aimee Hildreth-Whitehair, Kathryn L. Sherlock.
WV School of Osteopathic Medicine: Dianna L. Bearse, Brian C. Gullett, James M. Jarrett, Timothy G. Lane.
On motion (Hutchinson/Reno), the Committee approved 2 NP, 1 NE and 1 PA students:
Mountain State University: Julie T. Gautier, Melody H. Hale (NP students)
Wheeling Jesuit University: Saundra S. Huggins (NE student)
Alderson-Broaddus College: Heather K. Marcum (PA student)
Committee members who reviewed medical student applications included Elaine Mason, David Brown, Jennifer Plymale, Jill Hutchinson, Jodie Jackson and Alicia Tyler.
Members who reviewed NP, NE, and PA applications included Martha Endres, Sandra Pope, Jacki Masi, Anna Reno and Alicia Tyler. Alicia and Jacki interviewed these students by phone.
Retention of Physicians, NPs and PAs with Financial Incentives
Alicia and Melissa Wheeler presented a report of outcomes on state incentive programs administered by the Higher Education Policy Commission; the Division of Recruitment, Bureau for Public Health; and the RHEP office. The report compared providers listed on the RHEP Recruitment & Retention Reports in 2001 and 2004 and shows the following:
Of 41 physicians in rural practice in 2001, 32 (78%) were still in practice in 2004. Of 10 physicians who had two or more financial incentives, all 10 (100%) were still in practice.
Of 60 NPs/PAs in practice in 2001, 43 (72%) were in practice in 2004. Of 24 NPs/PAs who had two or more financial incentives, 22 (92%) were still in practice. Clearly the coordination of state programs has had a positive effect.
Updates
Jill Hutchinson reported that the Monroe County health center has been in crisis with the loss of two physicians and one nurse practitioner. Intense efforts are being made to staff the clinic.
Melissa Wheeler reported on the success of the Physician Job Fair at the Rural Health Conference. There were 22 exhibitors and a good turnout of residents. The Fair will continue at the next conference.
Ken Shannon reported on a continuing trend away from primary care. The fill rate for Family Practice residency slots was 41%, down from 70% in the late 80s and early 90s.
Debbie Curry reported on resident-led AHEC rotations in Wayne and Mason Counties. Another resident is scheduled in January or February. Three new physicians are beginning Rural Health Fellowships; one other physician is considering it. The AHEC is working with high school students on health careers activities, including a mini camp in Wyoming County.
Patti Crawford reported on a meeting held at the Rural Health Conference, which clarified how the HEPC funding could be used with the Rural Health Fellowship program and AHEC. Southeastern is developing three more AHEC teams and hopes to recruit CAMC residents. Patti also discussed their continuing medical education programs.
Lew Holloway reported that the Northern RHEC is holding an IDT with two FP residents from Clarksburg and five students. The RHEC is mailing out 2,000 flyers on bioterrorism and developing public service announcements. Lew is meeting with WVSOM staff to discuss continuing education in northern WV.
The meeting was adjourned.