Peterson Health - Kerr County
Overview
Peterson Health is committed to the health and well-being of the communities in which it serves. Peterson Health has made extensive effort to lay the groundwork to acquire two types of federal designations for Kerr County. These designations, known as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), open the door to benefits such as federal and state funded student loan repayment programs and grants for Physicians, Advanced Practitioners, and Nurses. The goal of this initiative is to promote access to quality healthcare in the surrounding service area by recruiting and retaining clinicians like you. Together with its team of healthcare providers, Peterson Health will continue to offer excellent care in a compassionate environment.
Peterson Health encourages its healthcare providers to contact our team of experts at HPSA Acumen to determine the eligibility and opportunity for loan repayment awards. An individual consultation can be scheduled with us at the bottom of this webpage.
What is a HPSA?
HPSAs are designations that indicate healthcare provider shortages in three platforms of health: primary care, mental health, and dental health. Each platform of health receives its own designation. Each designation is scored to show the severity of the shortage. Scores range from 0 to 25, with 25 having the greatest shortage. The maps below outline each type of HPSA for Kerr County.
In a Primary Care HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI – Kerr County
ID: 1483536882
Designation Type: Designated
Status: Low Income Population
Score: 16
Designation Date: 08/25/2017
Last Update Date: 09/10/2021
In a Mental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: Kerr County
ID: 7488698820
Designation Type: Geographic
Status: Designated
Score: 16
Designation Date: 10/28/1994
Last Update Date: 09/10/2021
In a Dental Health HPSA: No
What are the benefits of a HPSA?
In an effort to boost provider recruitment and retention in these often-rural shortage areas, benefits have been established to help build healthcare access to those who need it the most. Here are the benefits available in your specific shortage designations.
Loan repayment opportunities are possible because Peterson Health forged new partnerships and secured HPSAs in this region. Loan repayment is just one benefit that acknowledges you, the providers, as the driving force that makes healthcare possible in your community. Peterson Health truly appreciates working with you.
Programs available to eligible Peterson Health primary care and mental health providers:
Physicians – Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program and Texas Physician Education Loan Repayment Program
Advanced Practitioners – Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program (Nurses only), Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners only), Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program (Advanced Practice Nurses in psychiatric or mental health nursing only), and Texas Nurse Loan Repayment Assistance Program (Nurses only)
Registered Nurses – Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program and Texas Nurse Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Mental Health Providers – Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program and Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program
What do these loan repayment programs offer?
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – Advanced Practice Nurses and Registered Nurses may be eligible to apply for loan repayment worth up to 85% of their student loan balance in return for working at a Critical Shortage Facility like Peterson Regional Medical Center.
Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program – Providers working full-time with pediatric patients may be eligible to receive up to $100,000 in loan repayment in return for a 3-year service commitment. Eligible disciplines include Physicians, Psychologists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed or Certified Master’s Level Social Workers, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Substance Use Disorder Counselors working in a pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, as a child or adolescent psychiatrist, or behavioral health providers working in pediatrics or substance use disorder services. Please refer to program guidelines for a list of specialties and subspecialties for Physicians.
Texas Physician Education Loan Repayment Program – Physicians (MDs and DOs) who are practicing primary care in family medicine, general practice, general internal medicine, medicine-pediatrics, general pediatrics, OB/GYN, psychiatry, or geriatrics can receive loan repayment up to $180,000 in return for a 4-year service commitment. Physicians must be working in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program – Mental health professionals may be awarded up to $10,000 - $160,000 in return for a 3-year service commitment at their practice site located in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
Texas Nurse Loan Repayment Assistance Program – Licensed Vocational Nurses, Registered Nurses, and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who have worked in Texas for at least one year can receive a loan repayment award up to $16,000 in return for a 1-year service commitment, depending on their profession.
To find out if your address is located in this HPSA designation, please visit the following website:
https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/by-address
For more information, please contact:
HPSA Acumen’s Benefit Support Specialists are available to you:
716.483.0888 ext. 206
Email us here at [email protected]
Facility Contact Information:
Lisa Medovich
Chief Financial & Compliance Officer
Peterson Regional Medical Center
Peterson Health
Office: 830-258-7632
[email protected]