Human Services Department: $1.535 Million For Primary Care Graduate Medical Education … Seeking Applicants

HSD News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced Tuesday the availability of $1.535 million for primary care GME programs in New Mexico.

The funding addresses the urgent need of increased healthcare access and primary care physician workforce expansion. The department is soliciting applicants for first-year residency positions in New Mexico.

Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2020 and more information, including the Request for Application, can be found at: https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/gme-expansion.aspx.

“Healthcare workforce expansion is a top priority of Governor Lujan Grisham and this Administration,” Cabinet Secretary David R. Scrase, M.D. said. “More behavioral health and primary care providers means improved patient access, which will lead to better healthcare for New Mexicans.”

The GME Expansion Grant Program (enacted via House Bill 480 in 2019) directs HSD to award funding to existing and new GME programs seeking to increase the number of first-year residents in the fields of Family Medicine, General Psychiatry, General Internal Medicine, and General Pediatrics.

“I have long advocated for primary care expansion, because it is the foundation of an accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare system,” said Rep. Doreen Gallegos, co-sponsor of HB 480. “This funding will propel the development of the next generation of primary care physicians; and, I applaud HSD’s commitment to prioritize support for community-based programs, including those serving rural and frontier communities.”

Research demonstrates 50-75 percent of medical residents stay within 100 miles of their residency program; and, investments in primary care yield significant returns for physicians-in-training, local economies, and communities. Building on the GME Expansion in New Mexico Five-Year Strategic Plan released in January, HSD will support statewide partners aiming to grow GME primary care programs from 8 to 13 (63 percent increase) within the next five years.

Additionally, it is estimated the number of primary care residents in training will grow from 142 to 291 (105 percent increase) and the number of graduates each year will grow from 48 to 94 (starting in 2025), representing a 96 percent increase.

“This funding takes a much-needed step towards ensuring New Mexicans will have improved access to primary care,” said Dr. David Rakel, GME Expansion Review Board Chair; Family Medicine Chair, UNM. “As a family medicine physician, I know access to primary care is associated with positive health outcomes for individuals and communities. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with HSD and others in this work.”

Physician shortages exist across all specialties in New Mexico, creating challenges in healthcare delivery, quality, and access. An older physician population, an aging population, and an abundance of rural and frontier communities further exacerbate these challenges.

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