‘‘(ii) enhancement of communication 
between patients and health care providers; 
‘‘(iii) improvement of quality measure-
ment by eligible professionals enabling 
them to collect, store, measure, and report 
on the processes and outcomes of indi-
vidual and population performance and 
quality of care; 
‘‘(iv) improvement of evidence-based 
decision support; or 
‘‘(v) enhancement of consumer and 
patient empowerment. 
Such term does not include information technology 
the sole use of which is financial management, main-
tenance of inventory of basic supplies, or appoint-
ment scheduling. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘eligible professional’ means any 
of the following: 
‘‘(A) A physician (as defined in section 
1861(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x(r))). 
‘‘(B) A practitioner described in section 
1842(b)(18)(C) 
of 
such 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1395u(b)(18)(C)). 
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‘‘(C) A physical or occupational therapist 
or a qualified speech-language pathologist. 
‘‘(D) A qualified audiologist (as defined in 
section 1861(ll)(4)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x(ll)(4)(B))). 
‘‘(E) A State-licensed pharmacist. 
‘‘(F) A State-licensed supplier of durable 
medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, or 
supplies. 
‘‘(G) A State-licensed, a State-certified, or 
a nationally accredited home health care pro-
vider. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘qualified eligible professional’ 
means an eligible professional whose practice— 
‘‘(A) is a small business concern; and 
‘‘(B)(i) is in a medically underserved com-
munity (as defined in section 799B(6) of the 
Public 
Health 
Service 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
295p(6))); 
‘‘(ii) serves individuals at least 50 percent 
of whom are entitled to benefits or enrolled 
under title XVIII of the Social Security Act; or 
‘‘(iii) serves an area that consists predomi-
nantly of low-income families (as defined in sec-
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tion 3 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a)). 
‘‘(b) LOAN GUARANTEES FOR QUALIFIED ELIGIBLE 
PROFESSIONALS.— 
‘‘(1) GUARANTEE
PERCENTAGE.—Subject to 
paragraph (2), the Administrator may guarantee up 
to 90 percent of the amount of the loan made to a 
qualified eligible professional for the acquisition of 
health information technology for use in such eligible 
professional’s medical practice and for the costs as-
sociated with the installation of such technology. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS ON GUARANTEE AMOUNTS.— 
The maximum amount of loan principal guaranteed 
under this subsection may not exceed— 
‘‘(A) $350,000 with respect to any single 
qualified eligible professional; and 
‘‘(B) $2,000,000 with respect to a single 
group of affiliated qualified eligible profes-
sionals. 
‘‘(c) FEES.—(1) The Administrator may impose a 
guarantee fee on the borrower in an amount not to exceed 
2 percent of the total guaranteed portion of any loan guar-
anteed under this section. The Administrator may also im-
pose annual servicing fees on lenders not to exceed 0.5 
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percent of the outstanding balance of the guarantees on 
lenders’ books. 
‘‘(2) No service fees, processing fees, origination fees, 
application fees, points, brokerage fees, bonus points, or 
other fees may be charged to a loan applicant or recipient 
by a lender in the case of a loan guaranteed under this 
section. 
‘‘(d) INTEREST RATES.—The interest rate charged 
on a loan guaranteed under this section shall not be great-
er than 25 basis points below the rate provided for a loan 
under the program under section 7(a). 
‘‘(e) DEFERRAL PERIOD.—Loans guaranteed under 
this section shall carry a deferral period of not more than 
3 years. 
‘‘(f) TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR LOAN GUARAN-
TEES.—The loans guaranteed under this section shall be 
subject to the terms and conditions that apply to the pro-
gram under section 7(a) or other such terms and condi-
tions as are prescribed by the Administrator.’’. 
SEC. 3. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER DUTIES. 
Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 648(c)(3)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (S); 
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(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (T) and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(U) facilitating the training of medical profes-
sionals in health information technology systems; 
and 
‘‘(V) establishing and providing a network of 
small health information technology companies avail-
able to medical professionals in low-income and un-
derserved areas, as defined by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, for the purpose of aid-
ing medical professionals in such areas to purchase, 
utilize, and maintain such technology.’’. 
Æ 
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