HOUSE MEMORIAL 2

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Danice Picraux

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO CONVENE A GROUP OF EXPERTS TO PLAN FOR STATE-FUNDED, NATIONALLY ACCREDITED PRIMARY CARE RESIDENCY SLOTS AND ROTATIONS.

     WHEREAS, primary care providers form the backbone of necessary basic and preventive health services in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, during the past five decades, there has been a drastic decrease in the supply of primary care physicians due to the increase in numbers of specialist physicians trained in high-cost, high-technology health care at the expense of health care designed to prevent illness and maintain the health of individuals and communities; and

     WHEREAS, while there are diminishing numbers of primary care dentists being trained in the United States, there is an increased demand for dentistry in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, access to preventive and primary health care services is crucial to providing affordable health care and health care accessible to more individuals; and

     WHEREAS, in most countries where there are universal or national health care systems, there is a recognition of the necessity of keeping health care affordable by maintaining a one-to-one ratio of primary care physicians to specialists; and

     WHEREAS, in the United States, health care costs are increasing dramatically year by year, in part because the ratio of primary care physicians to specialists is closer to twenty primary care physicians to eighty specialists; and

     WHEREAS, there is a need in New Mexico for over one hundred fifty primary care physicians, but only around twenty-four primary care physicians are trained in the state every year; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislature and the United States congress have recognized the importance of primary care by passing legislation to provide over one hundred forty primary care locations across New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislature and the United States congress have funded policy improvements, such as training programs for nurse practitioners, physician assistants and family physician residencies, in order to improve access to primary care; and

     WHEREAS, primary care centers such as those funded by the New Mexico legislature and by the United States congress should be staffed whenever possible with high-quality health professionals from the communities they serve; and

     WHEREAS, more medical students may choose primary care if reimbursement formulas and medical education programs were to be changed to reward and produce more primary care physicians;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission be requested to convene a task force of experts by June 1, 2008 for the purpose of planning for new or expanded state-funded, nationally accredited primary medical, dental and other residency programs, including rotations in communities where there is a documented underservice and shortage of these services in clinics and hospitals; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine other conditions impacting provider training decisions and retention factors and then report its recommendation on how these conditions may improve access to primary medical and dental services; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings and recommendations to the legislative health and human services committee by September 1, 2008; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the New Mexico health policy commission.

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