Section 582.125  Service Obligation Fulfillment

In exchange for loan repayment assistance, health care professionals shall fulfill a service obligation at a medical facility in an HPSA in Illinois.

a)         Full-time Service Obligation Option

Health care professionals shall provide two years of full-time service.  The 40 hours per week requirement can be compressed into no fewer than four days per week, with no more than 12 hours of work performed in a 24-hour period.  Health care professionals will not receive service credit for hours worked over the required 40 hours per week, and excess hours cannot be applied to any other work week.  Time spent on call will not count toward the service requirement.  Service obligation is fulfilled through the following:

1)         For all health care professionals except those noted in subsection (a)(2):

A)        At least 32 hours per week shall be spent providing direct patient care during normal scheduled office hours.

B)        The remaining eight hours shall be spent providing clinical services for patients, teaching, providing clinical services in alternative settings (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, shelters), or performing administrative duties.

2)         For physicians practicing obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine physicians who practice obstetrics on a regular basis, and pediatric dentists:

A)        At least 21 hours per week shall be spent providing direct patient care during normal scheduled office hours.

B)        The remaining 19 hours per week shall be spent providing clinical services for patients, teaching, providing clinical services in alternative settings (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, shelters), or performing administrative duties.

C)        Administrative duties shall not exceed eight hours per week.

b)         Half-time Service Obligation Option

1)         Half-time clinical practice means that a health care professional works a minimum of 20 hours per week (not to exceed 39 hours per week), for a minimum of 45 weeks per year.  Health care professionals shall provide four years of part-time service.  The 20 hours per week requirement can be compressed into no fewer than two workdays per week, with no more than 12 hours of work performed in any 24-hour period.  Health care professionals shall not receive service credit for hours worked over the required 20 hours per week, and excess hours shall not be applied to any other week.  Full-time work performed shall not change the health care professional's half-time status and shall not entitle the health care professional to full-time service credit.  Time spent on call shall not count toward the service requirement.  Service obligation is fulfilled through the following:

A)        For all health care professionals except those noted in subsection (b)(2):

i)          At least 16 hours per week shall be spent providing direct patient care during normal scheduled office hours.

ii)         The remaining four hours per week shall be spent providing clinical services for patients, providing clinical services in alternative settings (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, shelters), or performing administrative duties.

B)        For physicians practicing obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine physicians who practice obstetrics on a regular basis, certified nurse midwives and pediatric dentists:

i)          At least 11 hours per week shall be spent providing direct patient care during normal scheduled office hours.

ii)         The remaining nine hours per week shall be spent providing clinical services for patients, providing clinical services in alternative settings (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, shelters), or performing administrative duties.

iii)        Administrative duties shall not exceed four hours per week.

c)         Conversion of Clinical Practice Status

1)         A health care professional may convert from full-time to half-time status if the following are met:

A)        The health care professional notifies the Department in writing of the request;

B)        The medical facility agrees in writing that the health care professional may change to half-time clinical practice; and

C)        The health care professional agrees in writing (by signing an amendment to the agreement) to complete the remaining service obligation through half-time practice for twice as long as the remaining full-time commitment.

2)         A health care professional shall not convert from half-time to full-time status.  However, a health care professional may enter into a new full-time agreement if the following are met:

A)        The health care professional has completed the initial four-year half-time agreement and any continuation agreement;

B)        The medical facility agrees in writing that the health care professional will work a full-time clinical practice; and

C)        The recipient signs a new agreement, agreeing to perform one year of full-time clinical practice at the medical facility.

3)         A health care professional will not be allowed to enter into a new full-time agreement within a contract period.

d)         To initiate the service obligation, the recipient and Department will enter into a loan repayment agreement.  Service credit begins upon the beginning date of the agreement term or the date service starts, whichever is later.  Health care professionals will not receive service credit for any employment at a medical facility prior to the beginning date of the terms in the agreement.

e)         A health care professional may be eligible to receive loan repayment assistance beyond the initial agreement and pay off all qualifying educational loans.  To remain eligible, the health care professional shall:

1)         Have unpaid qualifying educational loans;

2)         Have applied all previously received loan repayment assistance funds to reduce his/her qualifying educational loans;

3)         Continue to serve at a medical facility in an HPSA in Illinois; and

4)         Continue to meet all applicable program eligibility criteria in effect at the time the health care professional is being considered for continuation.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 13300, effective August 29, 2023)