Panel backs bill to expand Georgia healthcare workforce database

A Health and Human Services committee advanced legislation that would broaden a state database the Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce uses to track and plan for health professionals across the state.

Senator Still (speaker 7) presented SP 500 (LC 520964), saying the measure would add nine licensing agencies to five existing reporters for a total of 14 entities that would contribute nonidentifiable provider data to the board. The bill establishes a minimum data set to support workforce planning, requires the board to be able to enter agreements with licensing entities to create and host information, and authorizes a public dashboard to make aggregate workforce information available to the Governor, the General Assembly, state agencies and the public. The sponsor emphasized the bill does not include personal identifying information; age brackets and insurance-acceptance indicators (including whether providers accept Medicare or Medicaid) are included to allow the state to measure provider adequacy.

Members asked for confirmation that no personally identifiable data would be shared; the sponsor and others confirmed the bill is limited to numerical and nonpersonal fields.

Senator Goodman moved to pass LC 520964; the committee approved the motion by a unanimous hand vote.

If enacted, the board would use the expanded data to analyze workforce distribution and inform planning and policy decisions; no fiscal figures were discussed during the committee hearing.