The bill addresses the critical shortage of primary care providers in Washington, particularly in rural and underserved areas, by promoting the use of preceptorships to train primary care physicians. It emphasizes that enhancing primary care can lead to a more efficient and cost-effective healthcare delivery system. The legislation includes a new section that mandates the board to review the costs associated with primary care preceptorships in hospitals and clinical settings, with a report due by December 1, 2027, to assess how these initiatives can help meet the demand for primary care providers.

Additionally, the bill amends RCW 70.390.080 to require the board to measure and report on primary care expenditures, aiming to increase these expenditures to 12 percent of total healthcare spending. The board is tasked with submitting a preliminary report by December 1, 2022, which will outline definitions, barriers, progress metrics, and methods to incentivize primary care spending. The ongoing role of the board in overseeing primary care expenditure targets and strategies is also reinforced, ensuring that the development of primary care is guided by input from providers and existing research.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 70.390.080