Rural hospital impact statement.

In formulating and implementing policies and rules that may have significant impact on the ability of rural hospitals to continue to provide health care services in rural communities, the agency, the department, or the respective regulatory board adopting policies or rules regarding the licensure or certification of health care professionals shall provide a rural hospital impact statement. The rural hospital impact statement shall assess the proposed action in light of the following questions:

(1) Do the health personnel affected by the proposed action currently practice in rural hospitals or are they likely to in the near future?

(2) What are the current numbers of the affected health personnel in this state, their geographic distribution, and the number practicing in rural hospitals?

(3) What are the functions presently performed by the affected health personnel, and are such functions presently performed in rural hospitals?

(4) What impact will the proposed action have on the ability of rural hospitals to recruit the affected personnel to practice in their facilities?

(5) What impact will the proposed action have on the limited financial resources of rural hospitals through increased salaries and benefits necessary to recruit or retain such health personnel?

(6) Is there a less stringent requirement which could apply to practice in rural hospitals?

(7) Will this action create staffing shortages, which could result in a loss to the public of health care services in rural hospitals or result in closure of any rural hospitals?