Group: Higher Education - Medical Education

Agency: Medical Education Council

Function

The enactment of House Bill 141, 'Medical Education Program,' in the 1997 General Session, created the Medical Education Program to be administered by the Utah Medical Education Council (UMEC). The UMEC evaluates current and future healthcare workforce needs, which include increasing retention rates, stabilizing funding for training, and establishing policies to achieve a viable healthcare workforce. The UMEC helps promote a public/private partnership by working closely with the healthcare industry and the university and college medical education programs.

Historically, federal funding for state medical education was sent directly to hospitals providing healthcare workforce training. The UMEC now receives and disburses federal funds for Graduate Medical Education (GME) expenses allowing the UMEC to directly tie the funding of medical education to workforce needs. By utilizing data from workforce surveys prepared by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing and the Department of Workforce Services, the UMEC determines where the most critical healthcare workforce needs are in the state and enters into contractual agreements with institutions that provide medical education training. In this way, the UMEC helps to alleviate shortages of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Currently, the UMEC is focusing efforts in three major areas: (1) retaining the Utah trained healthcare workforce, (2) facilitating rural training opportunities, and (3) strengthening public-private partnerships. Additionally, the UMEC is identifying approaches that use revenue sources more efficiently to stabilize funding for clinical training programs. However, within the past year changes to rules by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), combined with economic factors, have led to diminished funding to the UMEC from teaching hospitals. This funding comprised the Dedicated Credits Revenue for the Council.

Statutory Authority

The following laws govern the Medical Education Program:

• UCA 63C-8-102 creates the Medical Education Program and the sources of funding.
• UCA 63C-8-103 creates the Medical Education Council to administer the program.
• UCA 63C-8-104 outlines the duties of the Medical Education Council.
• UCA 63C-8-105 outlines the powers of the council.

Funding Detail

The Medical Education Program funding consists of General Funds and Dedicated Credits (contracts and fees for services).