The chancellor for health sciences of the university of New Mexico shall convene a health care work force work group that includes representatives of health care consumers; health care providers; organized groups representing physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, dental hygienists and pharmacists; health care work force training institutions; the department of health; the public education department; the higher education department; and the boards. The work group shall:

A. analyze and make recommendations to the legislature regarding incentives to attract qualified individuals, including those from minority groups underrepresented among health care professions, to pursue health care education and practice in New Mexico;

B. develop a short-term plan and a five-year plan to improve health care access, with a draft report on the plans to be submitted to the interim legislative health and human services committee by November 1, 2011. Beginning October 1, 2012, the work group shall make detailed annual reports to the legislative health and human services committee by October 1 of each year;

C. analyze the collected data and make recommendations to the legislature for building healthier communities and improving health outcomes; and

D. devise an electronic survey, designed to be completed by applicants within fifteen minutes, for boards to provide to applicants for licensure or renewal of licensure, which includes questions regarding the information required pursuant to Subsection C of Section 24-14C-5 NMSA 1978 and any other survey questions that the chancellor and the work group deem appropriate.

History: Laws 2011, ch. 152, § 6; 2012, ch. 16, § 6.

The 2012 amendment, effective May 16, 2012, transferred the duties of the secretary of health to the chancellor; in the introductory sentence after "The", deleted "secretary of health" and added "chancellor for health sciences of the university of New Mexico" and after "health care work force training institutions, the", deleted "New Mexico health policy commission" and added "department of health"; and in Subsection D, after "any other survey questions that the", deleted "secretary of health" and added "chancellor".

Temporary provisions. — Laws 2012, ch. 16, § 7 amended Laws 2011, ch. 152, § 7 to provide that to carry out the provisions set forth in the Health Care Work Force Data Collection, Analysis and Policy Act, the chancellor for health sciences of the university of New Mexico shall seek funding pursuant to Section 5102 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as funding from any other source, public or private, that the chancellor deems appropriate.