STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS PROGRAMS.

SEC. 309. STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS PROGRAMS. (a) In General.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the programs carried out under titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act (as amended by this Act) for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of such programs in— 106 STAT. 2090 (1) increasing the number of primary care providers (physicians, physician assistants, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and general dentists), nurses and allied health personnel; (2) improving the geographic distribution of health professionals in medically underserved and rural areas; and (3) recruiting and retaining as students in health professions schools individuals who are members of a minority group, (b) Certain Requirements.—The study conducted under subsection (a) shall determine— (1) whether funding under title VII of the Public Health Service Act has increased the number of primary care practitioners (family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, general dentistry, and physician assistants) in medically underserved communities (as defined in section 799 of such Act); (2) whether or not funding under such title VII has increased the number of allied health professionals in medically underserved or rural communities; (3) whether or not funding under title VIII of such Act has increased the number of nurses in medically underserved or rural communities; (4) whether or not the various mechanisms under such titles VII and VIII (such as scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, loan repayment programs, project grants, and education centers) have been effective in producing health care professionals who work or practice in medically underserved and rural communities and the relative impact or effectiveness of each mechanism; (5) the duration of service in medically underserved communities (as defined in section 799 of such Act) of health professionals whose training was funded by such titles or who received financial incentives under such titles to practice in such communities; (6) the geographic distribution of former trainees under such titles who are practicing in medically underserved communities (as so defined); (7) with respect to the programs of such titles whose purpose is improving the health of individuals who are members of minority groups, whether such programs have had a significant impact on the number of such individuals entering the health professions; and (8) such other factors as may be relevant to the reauthorization of such title VII or VIII. (c) Report.—Not later than January 1, 1994, the Comptroller General of the United States shall complete the study required in subsection (a) and submit to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report describing the findings made as a result of the study and making such recommendations regarding the programs carried out under titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act as the Comptroller General determines to be appropriate.