WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                            J.R. 1

JOINT RESOLUTIONS SIGNED

by the

PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

and the

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES

Joint Resolution No. 1
(Senate Joint Resolution No. 3)

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning

Primary Health Care Manpower Distribution - Access by Minority Underserved
Populations and Remote Rural Indigent Communities

FOR the purpose of recommending certain actions to promote access to primary health
care manpower among certain minority underserved and rural communities; and
generally relating to primary health care in certain minority underserved and rural
communities.

WHEREAS, Indigent minority underserved populations and remote rural
communities are unable to recruit and retain primary care physicians and mid-level
health professionals to provide access to care; and

WHEREAS. Negative health indices, such as infant mortality, cancer rates, and
the incidence of such chronic illnesses as diabetes and hypertension are more prevalent in
these communities than in the general population; and

WHEREAS, Consistent access to affordable primary health care services will
reduce the incidence of negative health indices in minority underserved and remote rural
communities; and

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland appropriates several million dollars each year
to graduate medical education programs operated by the University of Maryland School
of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; and

WHEREAS, The University of Maryland medical education programs have strong
family medicine and primary care training programs; and

WHEREAS, Nurse practitioner and physician assistant programs with rural
oriented curricula have been effective in placing their graduates in rural and underserved
areas; and

WHEREAS, Health practitioners who receive training in rural areas or areas with
a high concentration of a minority an underserved population are more likely to return to
these communities to practice; and

WHEREAS, Primary health care professionals often have the greatest impact on
improving and maintaining the health of the greatest numbers of people and primary care
is more cost-effective than delayed hospitalization; now, therefore, be it

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