Agency: State Board of Regents

Line Item: Medical Education Council

Function

The Utah Medical Education Council (UMEC) focuses its 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 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.

Historically, federal funding for state medical education was sent directly to hospitals providing healthcare workforce training. As part of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Demonstration Project, the UMEC received and disbursed 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 Department of Workforce Services and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 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.

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, and
• UCA 63C-8-105 outlines the powers of the council.

Intent Language

The Legislature intends that any reduction in employee benefits due to the transfer of Medical Education Council staff to the Utah System of Higher Education may be ameliorated if sufficient funds exist within current budgets. The Utah System of Higher Education shall report to the Legislative Fiscal Analyst any amelioration if it occurs.

The Medical Education Council reports that with the change of the staff employment from the State to the Utah System of Higher Education, benefit losses came in the form of sick leave value and possible differences in health, life and disability insurance.

The State DHRM allowed a severance payment for some of the sick leave for employees as they were considered "terminated" from state employment. This amounted to $51,784 in FY 2013. Beyond this amount, employees lost an additional $26,264 in sick leave cash value.

Insurance differences between State employment and the Utah System of Higher Education were specific to the individual, and were not calculated.

Performance

The measure below shows the growth of residency and fellowship positions in Utah.

The measure below shows the retention rates of residents and fellows who received training in Utah.

The measure shows the number of Utah health providers. The largest group is patient care physicians.

Related Material

Trend Analysis - 2014 General Session - Utah State Board of Regents - Medical Education Council

Funding Detail

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

Note: Dedicated credits revenue and nonlapsing balances differ from last year's Compendia of Budget Information due to a change in the accounting of trust and agency disbursements at the Medical Education Council.