Physician Recruitment Grants Awarded - Wyoming Department Of Health's Rural And Frontier Health Division, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 21 Oct 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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The Wyoming Department of Health's Rural and Frontier Health Division has awarded grants to five Wyoming community health facilities to support local physician recruitment.

Noyes Health Care Center in Baggs, Crook County Medical Service in Sundance, Niobrara Health and Life Center in Lusk, Washakie Medical Center in Worland and Cedar Hills Family Clinic in Newcastle received awards totaling $400,000. Hospitals, clinics, physicians and other appropriate Wyoming agencies had been invited to apply for up to $80,000 each in state funds to support physician recruitment efforts.

The Office of Rural Health identified the geographic areas of the state with the greatest need, the medical specialties in highest demand and information from applications to make the awards. Selected groups must use the money to recruit a physician to their community. The money may be used for recruiting costs, a signing bonus, moving expenses and malpractice insurance.

"This state money, combined with local funding and efforts, should support successful long-term recruitment by increasing overall recruitment offers to a more competitive level," said Jeff Hopkins, healthcare recruitment and workforce specialist with the Wyoming Department of Health's Office of Rural Health.

Sharla Allen, Rural and Frontier Health Division deputy administrator with the Wyoming Department of Health, said interest in the program awards was very high across the state. Forty-five applications totaling $2.9 million were received from 27 interested groups in 19 communities and 18 counties.

"Selections were difficult due to the dramatic need identified in each application. There were many deserving entities we were unfortunately unable to fund," Allen said.

The Wyoming Legislature established funding for the Wyoming Physician Recruitment Grant Program during the 2008 budget session.

Wyoming Department of Health