(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that’s meant to address Iowa’s shortage of doctors and other health care workers. It uses federal money to expand medical residency programs at Iowa’s 14 teaching hospitals and create new residency slots in some specialties. “Doctors often decide to practice where they do their residency, but today Iowa ranks 40th in the number of residency slots for medical students, which means many of our graduates from Iowa medical schools don’t get a chance to continue their education and training here,” Reynolds said, “and that’s about to change.” An additional 115 residency slots will be created each year.

“Just three to four years from now, the amount of time that it takes for a typical residency rotation, we could have up to 460 more physicians being trained right here in Iowa,” Reynolds said, “with some ready to enter the workforce.” The plan also merges the five state programs that help medical professionals repay their college loans and makes eight million dollars available. That’s nearly double the amount being spent on the programs this year. Reynolds says the priority will be loan repayment assistance to medical staff in high demand specialties, like psychiatry.

“These strategic investments will not only strengthen Iowa’s health care system, I believe they’ll make Iowa the place where physicians want to learn, where they want to train and where they want to practice,” Reynolds said. The legislation also provides three MILLION dollars to support training programs for health care workers seeking a new credential. State officials this (Wednesday) afternoon announced 14 programs already have been selected, where 399 people will be enrolled.

The group will be studying to be registered or licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants and certified medical assistants. Reynolds signed another bill into law today (Wednesday) that increases the potential penalties for those convicted of assaulting administrative staff, volunteers or medical students in the hospital. Under current law, there are enhanced penalties for assaults in hospitals, but only if the person attacked a doctor, nurse or a hospital employee who provides patient care.

Gov. Reynolds, lower left, joins the crowd in applauding after she signs House File 972 into law. (RI photo)

“Unfortunately, violence has become more common in health care environments and it can affect any employee,” Reynolds said, “and to keep our communities healthy, we also protect the people who make it possible.” Reynolds signed the bills into law at Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center. Chris Stipe is the hospital’s C-E-O. “Workforce shortages are one of our biggest challenges in rural health care and since the pandemic shortages have only grown more severe,” he said. “I think we can all agree if health care workers do not feel safe at work, it makes it even more difficult to recruit and retain talented health care workers to rural hospitals — really, to all our hospitals in Iowa.”

Iowa is among 40 states that have raised penalties for assaulting health care staff. An Iowa Hospital Association survey found hospitals in the state reported nearly 37-hundred incidents of what it classified as workplace violence in 2023. That included verbal threats as well as being kicked, punched and scratched. According to the American College of Surgeons, health care workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in other industries.