ECHO Act

Summary: Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act or the ECHO Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration, to study technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models and the ability of those models to improve patient care and provider education. (Such models connect specialists to primary care providers through videoconferencing to facilitate case-based learning, dissemination of best practices, and evaluation of outcomes.) The Government Accountability Office must report on such models and HHS support for such models.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Capacity for Health 
Outcomes Act'' or the ``ECHO Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Health professional shortage area.--The term ``health 
        professional shortage area'' means a health professional 
        shortage area designated under section 332 of the Public Health 
        Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
            (2) Medically underserved area.--The term ``medically 
        underserved area'' has the meaning given the term ``medically 
        underserved community'' in section 799B of the Public Health 
        Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p).
            (3) Medically underserved population.--The term ``medically 
        underserved population'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 330(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
        254b(b)).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (5) Technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity 
        building model.--The term ``technology-enabled collaborative 
        learning and capacity building model'' means a distance health 
        education model that connects specialists with multiple primary 
        care providers through simultaneous interactive 
        videoconferencing for the purpose of facilitating case-based 
        learning, disseminating best practices, and evaluating 
        outcomes.

SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS ON TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED COLLABORATIVE 
              LEARNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING MODELS.

    (a) Prioritization.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the 
        Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, shall examine technology-enabled collaborative 
        learning and capacity building models and the ability of such 
        models to improve patient care and provider education.
            (2) Considerations.--The examination required under 
        paragraph (1) shall include an examination of the ability of 
        technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building 
        models to address each of the following:
                    (A) Mental health and substance use disorders, 
                including prescription drug and opioid abuse.
                    (B) Chronic care for patients of all ages, 
                including children, with chronic diseases.
                    (C) Complex care or care for the sickest and most 
                vulnerable patients, including pediatric patients.
                    (D) Primary care workforce recruitment, retention, 
                and support for life-long learning.
                    (E) Specialty care shortages.
                    (F) Public health programs, including disease 
                prevention, outbreaks, and surveillance.
                    (G) Implementation of disease prevention 
                guidelines.
                    (H) Health care in rural areas, frontier areas, 
                health professional shortage areas, medically 
                underserved populations, and medically underserved 
                areas.
                    (I) Advanced care planning and palliative care.
                    (J) Trauma-informed care.
                    (K) Pregnancy care and maternal health.
                    (L) Other health conditions and health workforce 
                issues that the Secretary determines appropriate.
            (3) Consultation.--In the examination of technology-enabled 
        collaborative learning and capacity building models required 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary, in collaboration with the 
        Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, shall consult public and private stakeholders 
        with expertise using such models in health care settings.
            (4) Federal study.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in collaboration with 
        the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, shall publish a study based on the examination 
        of technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity 
        building models required under paragraph (1). Such study shall 
        include an analysis of each of the following:
                    (A) The use and integration of such models by 
                health providers.
                    (B) The impact of such models on health provider 
                retention and health provider shortages in the States 
                in which such models have been adopted.
                    (C) Recommendations regarding the role of such 
                models in continuing medical education and lifelong 
                learning, including the role of academic medical 
                centers, provider organizations, and community 
                providers in such training.
                    (D) The barriers to adoption by primary care 
                providers and academic medical centers.
                    (E) The impact of such models on the ability of 
                local health providers and specialists to perform at 
                the top of their licensure, including the effects on 
                patient wait times for specialty care.
    (b) GAO Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall prepare and publish a report on technology-enabled 
        collaborative learning and capacity building models. Such 
        report shall analyze each of the following:
                    (A) The use and integration of such models by 
                health providers across the States.
                    (B) How the Secretary has supported the use of such 
                models through programs of the Department of Health and 
                Human Services.
                    (C) The impact of such models on health care, 
                including the impact on patient quality of care and 
                patient access to care, in the States in which such 
                models have been adopted.
                    (D) The reasons for successful State and community 
                adoption of such models.
                    (E) The barriers for States and communities to 
                adopt such models.
                    (F) Efficiencies and potential cost savings from 
                such models.
                    (G) How Federal, State, and local governments are 
                funding such models, if at all.
                    (H) Opportunities for increased adoption of such 
                models in agencies of the Department of Health and 
                Human Services, including the integration of such 
                models into existing programs.
            (2) Considerations.--The analysis conducted through the 
        report under paragraph (1) shall consider the ability of 
        technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building 
        models to address each of the following:
                    (A) Mental health and substance use disorders, 
                including prescription drug and opioid abuse.
                    (B) Chronic care for patients of all ages, 
                including children, with chronic diseases.
                    (C) Complex care or care for the sickest and most 
                vulnerable patients, including pediatric patients.
                    (D) Primary care workforce recruitment, retention, 
                and support for life-long learning.
                    (E) Specialty care shortages.
                    (F) Public health programs, including disease 
                prevention, outbreaks, and surveillance.
                    (G) Implementation of disease prevention 
                guidelines.
                    (H) Health care in rural areas, frontier areas, 
                health professional shortage areas, medically 
                underserved populations, and medically underserved 
                areas.
                    (I) Advanced care planning and palliative care.
                    (J) Trauma-informed care.
                    (K) Pregnancy care and maternal health.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the 
publication of the report conducted by the Comptroller General of the 
United States under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit a report 
to Congress addressing each of the following:
            (1) How the findings from the report published under 
        subsection (b) have been addressed.
            (2) Recommendations to Congress based on the findings of 
        the study published under subsection (a)(4).
            (3) A complete listing of technology-enabled collaborative 
        learning and capacity building models that have been funded by 
        the Department of Health and Human Services.
            (4) A toolkit regarding best practices for implementing 
        such models in the States.