A.Wherever used in this Part the following terms shall be construed as follows:
1.“Department” means the Rhode Island Department of Health.
2."Director" means the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health or their designee.
3."Grant" means as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(2).
4.“Healthcare facility” means as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17-2(9).
5.“Healthcare professional” means a physician, advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or physician assistant (PA) to perform healthcare services in the population focus of primary care as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(6).
6.“Must” means, for the purposes of this Part, the same as ‘shall,’ and ‘shall’ means the same as ‘must.’
7."National Committee for Quality Assurance" or "NCQA" means as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(3).
8."Office" means the Office of Primary Care Training, also known as Office of Primary Care and Rural Health at the Rhode Island Department of Health.
9."Patient-centered medical home" or "PCMH" means as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(5).
10.“Preceptor" means a healthcare professional, including a physician, advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or physician assistant (PA), who provides guidance and supervision to student enrollees while performing healthcare services in a primary care setting, as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(6).
11."Primary care" means as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(6).
12."Primary care site" means as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-2(7). For the purposes of this Part, “Primary care practice site” has the same meaning as “Primary care site.”
13.“Primary Care training site” means a healthcare facility in Rhode Island that has an accredited primary care clinical training program for medical residents and/or nurse practitioners or physician assistants.
14.“Student enrollee” means a student that is enrolled in a program at a Primary Care training site to receive medical training in primary care as an intern, enrollee in a clinical course, resident, or fellow as part of the clinical training requirements for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
10.4.1Application Process
A.The application process is subject to the program implementation and contracts provisions stated in R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-17.30, including R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-4.
B.Threshold for Application
1.To be considered, applicants must meet the requirements stated in R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-17.30 and this Part.
C.Requirements for Application
1.Applications must include:
a.Completed application form issued by the Department;
b.Budget narrative including the required information as provided on the application issued by the Department;
c.Project narrative, including the required information as provided on the application issued by the Department; and,
2.Completed applications must be submitted by the applicant through the REDCap system.
D.Funds provided to training sites must be used to support preceptors and enhance training capacity in alignment with program goals.
E.Participating training sites may utilize one (1) of the following compensation models:
1.Stipend Model: Preceptors receive a stipend for mentoring trainees while maintaining their full patient panel, compensating for their time spent on clinical education without reducing clinical workload.
2.Reduced Clinical Time Model: Preceptors have their clinical hours reduced by a set amount, allowing them to focus on training and supervising trainees, while balancing their patient care responsibilities.
3.Innovative Model: Training sites may utilize alternative strategies for compensating preceptors or enhancing training capacity, tailored to their specific needs and environment. This strategy would align with program objectives and be detailed in the project and budget narrative as part of the application process.
F.Training sites must use funds to compensate preceptors for participating in training sessions, learning collaboratives, and other activities required for program implementation and/or provided by the Department.
10.4.2Selection Process/Criteria
A.The awarded grant amount to sites will be determined by the anticipated number of student enrollees enrolled at the primary care site, with final amounts subject to verification.
B.To be eligible, a primary care training site must:
1.Operate a physical location in the State of Rhode Island;
2.Be affiliated with an accredited institution of higher education for the clinical training of physicians, nurse practitioners, and/or physician assistants;
3.Offer medical training in primary care to student enrollees as part of the clinical training requirements for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The training offered must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association, (AOA), or other accrediting body approved by the Board of Medical Licensure, Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education, or the Board of Licensure of Physician Assistants in the State of Rhode Island;
4.Have at least one (1) preceptor trained in the PCMH model while enrolled in the Primary Care Training Site Program;
5.Offer a collaborative, team-based care environment where students can gain experience working alongside a wide range of clinicians;
6.Be recognized by the NCQA as PCMHs;
7.Provide integrated behavioral health services, ensuring that trainees experience a comprehensive model of care that addresses both physical and mental health needs; and,
8.Comply with all terms, conditions, and provisions as stated in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-4.
10.4.3Oversight of Grant Recipients and Reporting
A.The Department may conduct site visits and may require reports and other information to ensure compliance as determined by the Director. At a minimum:
1.Training sites must provide data as required by the Department which must include, but not be limited to, key outcomes such as trainee enrollment, preceptor satisfaction, and the overall impact on training capacity.
2.Participating training sites must provide progress reports on the enrollment, matriculation and retention of student enrollees in the primary care training site’s program to the Office.
B.Training sites must implement the clinical training curriculum provided by the Department to enhance the clinical education experience of trainees in the primary care setting. Training sites must ensure that at least one (1) preceptor is able to implement the criteria by supporting their participation in the training sessions offered by the Department.
C.Training sites must ensure that at least one (1) preceptor is able to participate in the learning collaborative sessions offered by the Department.
10.4.4Appeals Process
A.All hearings and reviews related to non-compliance or non-selection under the provisions of this Part must be held in accordance with the provisions of Part 10-05-4 of this Title, Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Practices and Procedures Before the Rhode Island Department of Health.
10.4.5Review of Applications
A.Applications will be reviewed consistent with this Part.
10.4.6Allocation of Funds
A.The Department will award grants to eligible primary care training sites on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by the date stamp reflecting when the application was submitted to REDCap.
B.The dollar amount of funds allocated to grantees will be determined pursuant to a static formula applied to all grantee applications.
C.Awards to training sites shall not exceed the amount provided in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.30-4 per primary care site, per calendar year and will be based upon fund availability and priorities established by the Director.
D.The allocation of funds will be determined by the number and type of student enrollee.
10.4.7Penalties
A.Any person who violates a provision of this Part shall be subject to the penalties of R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-1-25.
B.In addition to § 10.4.7(A), any training site that violates a provision of this Part, including § 10.4.1(D) of this Part, shall be subject to suspension or debarment proceedings pursuant to 220-RICR-30-00-14, and any funds obtained by the training site shall be subject to recapture.
