HR0656 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0656 LRB104 20703 MST 34203 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford is the primary administrator of the Illinois Rural Medical Education (RMED) Program; and

WHEREAS, The RMED Program is recognized as a valuable resource to rural Illinois communities with 88% of RMED graduates staying in Illinois practice in rural Illinois communities; and

WHEREAS, The RMED program graduated 484 students from 1993 to 2023, 50% of whom practice medicine within 100 miles of their hometown; and

WHEREAS, It has come to the attention of the General Assembly that only 56% of RMED's graduates practice in Illinois while the programs primary goal is to produce medical practitioners who will live and work in Illinois's rural communities; and

WHEREAS, Individuals who are from Illinois, would like to be part of the RMED program, and would likely stay in Illinois are being turned away from entering the RMED program in favor of students who come from other states; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly must play a strong financial oversight role in guaranteeing that educational funds and programs are used in the most prudent and efficient manner possible; and

WHEREAS, It is in the greatest interest of the people of rural Illinois communities that rural medicine is supported by all of the necessary tools and resources available to maintain a high-quality rural healthcare professional pipeline; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Auditor General is directed to conduct a management, performance, and fiscal audit of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford Illinois Rural Medical Education (RMED) Program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the audit shall include, but need not be limited to, the following determinations:

(1) The cost of the program to operate and a breakdown of expenditures;

(2) The percentage of students that come from within Illinois and from elsewhere; and

(3) The potential effects on the rural healthcare ecosystem in Illinois if the program were to focus on enrolling more Illinois residents, exclusively Illinois residents, or anyone who commits to practicing rural medicine in Illinois for 3, 5, and 10 year periods after graduation from the program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the University of Illinois system and all of its subordinate campuses, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, and any other programs, agencies, or departments within the State that could provide insight or information useful to the audit shall cooperate fully and promptly with the Office of the Auditor General in the conduct of this audit and production of findings; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence with this audit as soon as possible and report his findings and recommendations upon completion in accordance with the provisions of Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act; and be it further; and

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Auditor General and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford RMED Director.