Medical Occupations - As enacted, enacts the "Tennessee Physician Workforce Information Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 49; Title 63 and Title 68. Companion bill has been assigned Public Chapter Number 213 by the Secre, the official text

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Sluie efJmnessee

     PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 213

                         SENATE BILL NO. 554

                              By Reeves

                         Substituted for: House Bill No. 510

                         By Terry, Fritts

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 49; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to health
          care.

         WHEREAS, this State recognizes the vital role of physicians in ensuring the health and well-
being of its citizens; and

         WHEREAS, access to quality medical care is essential for the prosperity and vitality of our
communities; and

         WHEREAS, this State, like many other states, is facing a growing shortage of physicians,
particularly in rural and underserved areas; and

          WHEREAS, this shortage threatens to undermine the State's healthcare system and
jeopardize the health of Tennesseans; and

         WHEREAS, this looming crisis is driven by a complex interplay of factors, including an aging
physician workforce, increasing population demands, and a decline in the number of physicians
entering primary care and other critical specialties; and

         WHEREAS, physician burnout, exacerbated by administrative burdens, regulatory
complexities, and increasing demands on their time, is contributing to early retirement and career
changes; and

         WHEREAS, the moral injury experienced by physicians, stemming from their inability to
provide optimal care due to systemic constraints and resource limitations, further compounds the
problem; and

         WHEREAS, this State acknowledges the urgent need to address this physician shortage and
ensure access to quality health care for all Tennesseans; now, therefore,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 1, is amended by adding the
following as a new part:

68-1-1701. Short title.

          This act is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Physician Workforce Information
Act."

68-1-1702. Duties of the department of health.

The department shall:

(1) Contact qualified medical organizations in this state and request the

following information from such organizations:                ••  •

         (A) Perceived strengths and weaknesses or concerns of physicians
practicing in this state;
SB 554

                                       (B) Opportunities for improvement in policy to recruit and retain
                             physicians or maintain physician practices;

                                       (C) Threats to a physician's practice or patients;
                                       (D) The impact of physician burnout, moral injury, and administrative
                             burdens on the physician workforce;
                                       (E) The effectiveness of existing programs and initiatives aimed at
                             addressing physician shortages;
                                       (F) Opportunities to enhance medical education and training programs
                             in this state to attract and retain future physicians;
                                       (G) The potential for telehealth and other innovative approaches to
                             expand access to care in underserved areas;
                                       (H) Physician turnover related to employment conditions; and
                                       (I) Information regarding subdivisions (a)(1 )(A)-(H) from such
                             organization's national affiliates;
                             (2) Compile the information pursuant to this section into a written report; and
                             (3) Submit a preliminary and final report as described in§ 68-1-1703.
          68-1-1703. Reporting requirements.
                    (a) On or before December 31, 2025, the department shall submit the preliminary
          report and an update on the progress of the final report to the chairman of the health and
         welfare committee of the senate and the chairman of the committee in the house of
          representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters.
                    (b) On or before December 31, 2026, the department shall submit the final report to
         the chairman of the health and welfare committee of the senate and the chairman of the
          committee in the house of representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters.
                    (c) The preliminary and final reports must include the list of participating organizations
          and the findings or recommendations from the participating organizations.
                    (d) As used in this part, "department" means the department of health.
          SECTION 2. The headings in this act are for reference purposes only and do not constitute a
part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is requested to
include the headings in any compilation or publication containing this act.
          SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

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         SENATE BILL NO. 554

PASSED:  April 3, 2025

         n              .____ ~ \ .~ t . ., ~

                           \  RANDY McNit.LY

                              SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                        CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Apr; ~ APPROVED this    I
         day of               2025

         BILL LEE, GOVERNOR