Subdivision 1. Establishment. The Board of Regents, through the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, is requested to establish and administer a substitute physician (locum tenens and emergency room coverage) demonstration project at up to four rural demonstration sites within the state. The Academic Health Center is requested to coordinate the administration of the project with the commissioner of health and the Office of Rural Health and Primary Health Care.

Subd. 2. Project activities. The project must:

(1) encourage physicians to serve as substitute physicians for the demonstration sites;

(2) provide a central register of physicians interested in serving as substitute physicians at the demonstration sites;

(3) provide a referral service for requests from demonstration sites for substitute physicians; and

(4) provide substitute physician services at rates that reflect the administrative savings resulting from centralized referral and credentialing.

Subd. 3. Credentialing; professional education. The Academic Health Center is requested to credential persons desiring to serve as substitute physicians. The Academic Health Center may employ substitute physicians serving in the demonstration project as temporary clinical faculty and may provide substitute physicians with additional opportunities for professional education and interaction.

Subd. 4. Demonstration sites. The Academic Health Center is requested to designate up to four rural communities as demonstration sites for the project. The Academic Health Center is requested to choose sites based on a community's need for substitute physician services and the willingness of the community to work cooperatively with the Academic Health Center and participate in the demonstration project evaluation.

History: 1995 c 234 art 8 s 28