The general assembly declares that the activities and program specified in this part have been proven effective in Tennessee and the nation as means to recruit individuals from rural and urban underserved communities to enter primary health care professions and to choose to practice and continue practicing in rural and urban underserved communities. By increasing the number of primary health care professionals and retaining existing practitioners in rural and urban underserved communities, the area health education centers, referred to as AHECs in this part, programs of Tennessee will improve the ability, accessibility and quality of health care in these communities. The general assembly also declares that improved health among Tennessee's rural and urban underserved community residents will contribute to more viable and economically productive communities.