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Union Calendar No. 99 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1848 

[Report No. 115–151] 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 

on the use of medical scribes in Department of Veterans Affairs medical 

centers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 3, 2017 

Mr. ROE of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. WALDEN, and Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

MAY 23, 2017 

Additional sponsor: Mr. YOUNG of Iowa 

MAY 23, 2017 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 


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•HR 1848 RH

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a pilot program on the use of medical scribes in Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. 


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•HR 1848 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Affairs Med5 ical Scribe Pilot Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 

7 SCRIBE PILOT PROGRAM. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

9 shall carry out a two-year pilot program under which the 

10 Secretary shall increase the use of medical scribes at De11 partment of Veterans Affairs medical centers. 

12 (b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

13 pilot program at the 10 medical centers of the Department 

14 as follows: 

15 (1) At least four such medical centers located 

16 in rural areas. 

17 (2) At least four such medical centers located 

18 in urban areas. 

19 (3) Two such medical centers located in areas 

20 with need for increased access or increased effi21 ciency, as determine by the Secretary. 

22 (c) MEDICAL SCRIBES.— 

23 (1) HIRING.—Under the pilot program the Sec24 retary shall— 


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1 (A) hire 20 new Department of Veterans 

2 Affairs term employees as medical scribes; and 

3 (B) seek to enter into contracts with ap4 propriate entities for the employment of 20 ad5 ditional medical scribes. 

6 (2) DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary shall assign 

7 four medical scribes to each of the 10 medical cen8 ters of the Department where the Secretary carries 

9 out the pilot program as follows: 

10 (A) Two scribes shall be assigned to each 

11 of two physicians. 

12 (B) Thirty percent of the scribes shall be 

13 employed in the provision of emergency care. 

14 (C) Seventy percent of the scribes shall be 

15 employed in the provision of speciality care in 

16 specialties with the longest patient wait times 

17 or lowest efficiency ratings, as determined by 

18 the Secretary. 

19 (d) REPORTS.— 

20 (1) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 

21 180 days after the commencement of the pilot pro22 gram required under this section, and every 180 

23 days thereafter for the duration of the pilot pro24 gram, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 


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1 to Congress a report on the pilot program. Each 

2 such report shall include each of the following: 

3 (A) A separate analysis of each the fol4 lowing with respect to medical scribes employed 

5 by the Department of Veterans Affairs and 

6 medical scribes performing Department of Vet7 erans Affairs functions under a contract: 

8 (i) Provider efficiency. 

9 (ii) Patient satisfaction. 

10 (iii) Average wait time. 

11 (iv) The number of patients seen per 

12 day by each physician or practitioner. 

13 (v) The amount of time required to 

14 hire and train an employee to perform 

15 medical scribe functions under the pilot 

16 program. 

17 (B) Metrics and data for analyzing the ef18 fects of the pilot program, including an evalua19 tion of the each of the elements under clauses 

20 (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (A) at medical 

21 centers who employed scribes under the pilot 

22 program for an appropriate period preceding 

23 the hiring of such scribes. 

24 (2) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—Not 

25 later than 90 days after the termination of the pilot 


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1 program under this section, the Comptroller General 

2 of the United States shall submit to Congress a re3 port on the pilot program. Such report shall include 

4 a comparison of the pilot program with similar pro5 grams carried out in the private sector. 

6 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

7 (1) The term ‘‘medical scribe’’ means an unli8 censed individual hired to enter information into the 

9 electronic health record or chart at the direction of 

10 a physician or licensed independent practitioner 

11 whose responsibilities include the following: 

12 (A) Assisting the physician or practitioner 

13 in navigating the electronic health record. 

14 (B) Responding to various messages as di15 rected by the physician or practitioner. 

16 (C) Entering information into the elec17 tronic health record, as directed by the physi18 cian or practitioner. 

19 (2) The terms ‘‘urban’’ and ‘‘rural’’ have the 

20 meanings given such terms under the rural-urban 

21 commuting codes developed by the Secretary of Agri22 culture and the Secretary of Health and Human 

23 Services. 

24 (f) FUNDING.—The pilot program under this section 

25 shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized 


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1 to be appropriated for the Department of Veterans Af2 fairs. No additional amounts are authorized to be appro3 priated to carry out such program. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 99 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1848 

[Report No. 115–151] 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry 

ters. in Department of Veterans Affairs medical cenout a pilot program on the use of medical scribes 

MAY 23, 2017 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS