NHSC Publications: 2003 Rolling Practice Selection and Assignment Bulletin for Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse-Midwives and Nurse Practitioners

II. PRACTICE POSITIONS APPROVED FOR THE LIST

A. PROCESS FOR APPROVING A PRACTICE POSITION

WHAT ARE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN AUTHORIZING PRACTICE POSITIONS FOR THE LIST?

First, the entity must serve a geographic area, population group, or facility designated as a health professional shortage area.

Second, the geographic, population group, or facility health professional shortage area served by the entity is scored to determine whether it is a health professional shortage area of greatest shortage. The following statutory factors are considered when determining the health professional shortage areas of greatest shortage:

• the ratio of available primary health care clinicians to the number of individuals in the area or population group involved, or served by the medical facility or other public facility involved; and

• indicators of need:

• the rate of poverty; and

• access to primary health services, taking into account the travel time or distance to the services.

Third, specific practice positions located in health professional shortage areas will be prioritized for recruitment and retention assistance by the NHSC. Priority consideration will be given to those entities which:



• provide primary health care to a health professional shortage area of greatest shortage;

• coordinate the delivery of primary health care services with related health and social services;

• have a documented record of sound financial management; and

• will experience a negative impact on their capacity to provide primary health care services if a NHSC member is not assigned to the entity.

These sites must agree to meet the requirement that all clinicians must provide services to individuals regardless of ability to pay.

B. THE APPROVED PRACTICE LIST

HOW MANY PRACTICES ARE ON THE LIST?

The number of entities on the Approved Practice List is 500 or 300% of the number of scholars completing training, whichever is less. If the number of available scholars exceeds 500, the NHSC will determine the number of practice positions approved on the List.

HOW OFTEN IS THE APPROVED PRACTICE LIST UPDATED?

The List is updated continuously throughout the cycle and is based on the needs of the underserved communities. These updates are posted on an easily accessible web site for your use throughout the cycle. The address is: http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/opportunities_list/. We suggest that you check the List weekly for your employment search. If you do not have access to the internet (your local library should offer you access), please call the NHSC helpline at 1-800-221-9393, and we will mail you a copy.

WHY ARE SOME PRACTICE POSITIONS NO LONGER AVAILABLE WHEN I CALL THE SITE CONTACT?

The List consists of viable positions at the time the requests are submitted by individual practices. The List is a real-time list and updates are based on the needs of the communities. Positions are competitive and practices may hire clinicians at any time. Or, practices may lose key funding sources at any time (due to the changing health care environment) which may change the status of the position. Please contact the NHSC regarding the current status of the position.

Next: The Practice Selection and Assignment Process