§309H-2 Hawaii health corps program established. The Hawaii health corps program is established to encourage physicians, physicians assistants, and nurse practitioners to serve in counties having a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, with priority given to a rural area county. The Hawaii health corps program shall be administered by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene. In administering the program, the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene shall:

(1) Adopt rules and develop guidelines to administer the program;

(2) Identify and designate areas of the counties where there is a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners;

(3) Establish criteria for the selection by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to participate in the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;

(4) Define and determine compliance with the service commitments of the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;

(5) Collect and manage reimbursements from participants who do not meet their service commitments under the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;

(6) Publicize the program, particularly to maximize participation by individuals who live in areas of a county where there is a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners;

(7) Solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program, including maximizing the use of federal matching funds; and

(8) Establish criteria and procedures for calling Hawaii health corps program participants into service during an emergency or disaster. [L 2012, c 187, pt of §2; am L 2014, c 111, §12]