PROVIDENCE – In an effort he says aims to help bolster timely access to medical professionals in Rhode Island, Rep. David Place, a Republican representing District 47 in Burrillville and Glocester, has submitted the Community Based Healthcare Act.
The legislation, LC004849, has the goal of attracting federal funding and creating new programs designed to increase graduate medical education placements in the state’s healthcare facilities.
“Leader Chippendale clearly stated in the Republican State of the State Address, ‘the RI healthcare system is collapsing. We are hemorrhaging practitioners of every discipline from surgeons and specialists down to entry level support positions,'” said Place. “A driving factor of this crisis is the availability of primary care providers.”
Place, who has represented the district since 2019, currently serves as House Minority Whip, the second-highest ranking leadership position within the delegation.
“The Community Based Healthcare Investment Act is designed to reinvigorate a program used in the past to train and retain primary care providers, such as Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, serving our community healthcare centers,” said Place. “A major element we intend to fix from the old program is in providing the healthcare centers with a greater voice in recruiting and training doctors for their residency programs, with the goal of increasing the likelihood of retaining those doctors in those centers.”
The bill, co-sponsored by Chippendale, Nardone, Rea, Roberts, J. Brien, Newberry, and Fenton-Fung, was submitted on Thursday, Feb. 15, and has been referred to the Health and Human Services Subcommittee.
