government
Health professional shortage areas to be reviewed
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 19, 2010
A new committee will review and update standards for medically underserved and health professional shortage areas, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a July 9 announcement. The health reform law included a provision for such a panel, which will begin meeting this year to produce revised standards by July 2011.
A health professional shortage area designation allows for placement of National Health Service Corps professionals in the region. A medically underserved designation is used as one guideline for awarding federal grants to community health centers.
The 24 committee members have backgrounds in rural health, community health centers and primary care. Five panel members are physicians.
A complete list of members is available online (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/07/19/gvbf0719.htm.












