(a) The program shall be considered successful if, after implementation of the program, all of the following occur:

(1) There is a 10 percent or greater increase in the rate of program graduates who choose to practice primary care over the average number of program graduates who chose to practice primary care during the previous five years.

(2) There is a decrease in the use of emergency room facilities for nonemergency procedures by persons served by the program from the use of emergency room facilities for nonemergency procedures during the previous five years.

(3) Families served by the program have received expanded health services without an increase in per capita health costs.

(b) Based on the evaluation of the program by the university pursuant to Section 92724, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, in consultation with the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission, shall recommend to the Legislature on or before January 1, 1998, whether funding for the program should be expanded to include other medical schools.

(c) If the recommendation is made to expand the program pursuant to subdivision (b), it is the intent of the Legislature that the program be expanded to allow private medical schools and private schools of nursing to participate in the program in order to permit substantially all students who are training to become physicians and surgeons, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants to receive a portion of their training in a community-based education program.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 582, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2004.)