JACKSON, Miss. (AP, abc24.com) - A new Mississippi law aims to bring more physicians to the state.
House Bill 317 was signed into law by Gov. Phil Bryant on Tuesday. The law creates the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce within the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The legislation also creates an advisory board to oversee the new office. Office staff will be paid with state funds.
The office will evaluate the attributes of physicians currently working in the state, how many and what type of doctors are needed, and encouraging geographic distribution of doctors. The advisory board and UMMC may also distribute state funds to hospitals that establish Family Medicine residency programs.
Bryant says the bill will help him meet his goal of bringing 1,000 physicians to Mississippi by 2025.
