Ohio Code § 3702.77

§ 3702.77.

The director of health, by rule, shall establish priorities among health resource

shortage areas for use in recruiting primary care physicians to sites within particular

areas under the physician loan repayment program.  In establishing priorities, the director shall consider the ratio of primary care

physicians to the population in the health resource shortage area, the distance to

primary care physicians outside the area, health status indicators of the target population

in the area, presence of health care provider sites in the area with vacancies for

primary care physicians, availability of an eligible candidate interested in being

recruited to a particular site within an area, the need for a particular primary care

specialty within an area, and the distribution of health care provider sites in urban

and rural regions.  The director shall give greatest priority to health resource shortage areas having

a high ratio of population to primary care physicians. The director, by rule, shall establish priorities for use in determining eligibility

among applicants for participation in the physician loan repayment program.  The priorities may include consideration of an applicant's background and career

goals, the primary care specialty of the applicant, the length of time the applicant

is willing to provide primary care services in a health care resource shortage area,

and the amount of the educational expenses for which reimbursement is being sought

through the program.