(3) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary
shall provide technical assistance to States receiving
grants under paragraph (1) to assist them in evalu-
ating their medical practice acts and procedures and
to encourage the use of efficient and effective early
warning systems and other mechanisms for detecting
practices which endanger patient safety and for dis-
ciplining health care professionals.
(4) APPLICATIONS.—The Secretary may not
make a grant under paragraph (1) unless the appli-
cant submits an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such form, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Secretary shall require.
(c) GRANTS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make
grants to States and to local governments, private
nonprofit organizations, and health professional
schools (as defined in paragraph (3)) for—
(A) educating the general public about the
appropriate use of health care and realistic ex-
pectations of medical intervention;
(B) educating the public about the re-
sources and role of health care professional li-
censing and disciplinary boards in investigating
claims of incompetence or health care mal-
practice; and
(C) developing programs of faculty train-
ing and curricula for educating health care pro-
fessionals in quality assurance, risk manage-
ment, and medical injury prevention.
(2) APPLICATIONS.—The Secretary may not
make a grant under paragraph (1) unless the appli-
cant submits an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such form, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Secretary shall require.
(3) 
HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL
SCHOOL
DE-
FINED.—In paragraph (1), the term ‘‘health profes-
sional school’’ means a school of nursing (as defined
in section 853(2) of the Public Health Service Act)
or an institution described in section 701(4) of such
Act.
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated not more than
$15,000,000 for each of the first 5 fiscal years beginning
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act for grants
under this section.
SEC. 145. STUDY OF BARRIERS TO VOLUNTARY SERVICE BY
PHYSICIANS.
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a study to
determine the factors preventing or discouraging physi-
cians (whether practicing or retired) from volunteering to
provide health care services in medically underserved
areas.
(b) REPORTS.—(1) Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub-
mit an interim report to Congress on the study conducted
under subsection (a), together with the Secretary’s rec-
ommendations for actions to increase the number of physi-
cians volunteering to proivde health care services in medi-
cally underserved areas.
(2) Not later than 5 years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a final report
to Congress on the study conducted under subsection (a)
(taking into account the effects of this subtitle on the inci-
dence and costs of medical malpractice), together with the
Secretary’s recommendations for actions to increase the
number of physicians volunteering to provide health care
services in medically underserved areas.
Æ
HR 1625 IH——2