1. 1. On or before July 1 of each even-numbered year, the Authority shall:

   1. (a) Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the health care needs in this State; and
   2. (b) Compile a report of the results of the assessment and submit the report to the Governor and the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and the next regular session of the Legislature.

2. 2. The assessment conducted pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 must consist of:

   1. (a) A quantitative analysis of the health care workforce in this State, including, without limitation:

      1. (1) A determination of the total number of providers of health care in this State and the total number of providers of health care in this State who practice different professions and different specialties within those professions;
      2. (2) A determination of the total number of providers of health care who practice in different geographic areas of this State and the total number of providers of health care who practice different professions and different specialties within those geographic areas; and
      3. (3) A comparison of the numbers of providers of health care identified pursuant to subparagraphs (1) and (2) with benchmarks established by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services or nationally recognized organizations that prescribe such benchmarks;

   2. (b) A determination of the most critical shortages in the health care workforce of this State, prioritizing:

      1. (1) Essential health care professions and specialties and essential clinical services or expertise currently experiencing shortages; and
      2. (2) Geographic areas of this State that are experiencing the most critical shortages of providers of health care or clinical services or expertise; and
   3. (c) An identification of unmet needs for specific health technology and therapies, including, without limitation, genomic testing, clinical trials, cellular therapies and palliative care.

3. 3. The report compiled pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 must include, without limitation:

   1. (a) A summary of the assessment conducted pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1, including, without limitation:

      1. (1) An analysis of shortages of providers of health care, shortages of clinical services or expertise and unmet health needs in this State; and
      2. (2) A description of shortages of providers of health care and the shortages of clinical services or expertise by geographic region, including rural and urban areas;
   2. (b) A prioritized list of recommendations for allocating funding pursuant to NRS 439A.350 to 439A.398, inclusive, in a manner that addresses the critical shortages and unmet needs identified in the assessment conducted pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1;
   3. (c) Recommendations for legislation and regulatory changes to improve the recruitment and retention of providers of health care; and
   4. (d) An analysis of the effects of projects funded pursuant to NRS 439A.350 to 439A.398, inclusive, on the health care workforce and health needs of this State.
4. 4. As used in this section, “palliative care” means a multidisciplinary and patient- and family-centered approach to specialized medical care for a person with a serious illness, which approach focuses on the care of a patient throughout the continuum of an illness and involves addressing the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the patient, as well as facilitating patient autonomy, access to information and choice of care. The term includes, without limitation, discussion of the goals of the patient for treatment and discussion of treatment options appropriate to the patient, including, where appropriate, hospice care and comprehensive management of pain and symptoms.

(Added to NRS by 2025, 36th Special Session, 165)