City of Medford Approved $23,000 Grant to Attract Local Health Care Providers
The City of Medford recently approved a $23,000 grant to help attract local health care providers.
The Rogue Valley Times reports the recipient of this grant is the newly-formed Southern Oregon Alliance of Physicians & Providers (SOAPP).
With a current budget of $75,000, SOAPP will recruit primary care providers to Southern Oregon using the funds for transportation, food and lodging.
Brent Kell, SOAPP Board Chair and CEO of Valley Immediate Care, said though the pay scale is low, emphasizing the quality of life in Southern Oregon hopefully will outweigh more attractive offers in other areas. He said it's about creating awareness of that makes the Rogue Valley a good place to live and work.
One key factor that makes Southern Oregon unique is Oregon House Bill 2902, which requires insurance companies to reimburse at the same rate for any health care provided by physician assistants as doctors. Another is Oregon has one of the lowest Medicare reimbursement rates in the nation.
Kell also believes having a residency program in Southern Oregon would attract new recruits.
Though the Oregon Health Authority states that there are 450 primary care providers in this area, SOAPP analyzed the information and found that the number is about 250 due to providers keeping their licenses active but not practicing.
