SEC. 2. PHYSICIAN AMBASSADORS HELPING VETERANS 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 7405 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7405A. Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans 
program 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use the au-
thority under section 7405 of this title to seek to employ 
physicians on a without compensation basis in any prac-
tice area or speciality for which— 
‘‘(1) the average waiting time for veterans seek-
ing an appointment with a physician in such practice 
area or specialty exceeds the waiting time goals es-
tablished by the Department; or 
‘‘(2) the medical facility of the Department 
where the physician will be employed has dem-
onstrated staffing shortages, as determined by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(b) VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS.—There shall be in 
each medical facility of the Department a volunteer coordi-
nator. The volunteer coordinator for a medical facility 
shall— 
‘‘(1) seek to establish relationships with medical 
associations serving the area where the facility is lo-
cated; 
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‘‘(2) recruit physicians for employment on a 
without compensation basis in the facility; and 
‘‘(3) serve as the initial point of contact for 
physicians seeking employment on a without com-
pensation basis in the facility. 
‘‘(c) QUALIFICATIONS.—A physician employed on a 
without compensation basis under this section shall agree, 
as a condition of being granted a credential or privilege 
to practice medicine in a medical facility of the Depart-
ment, to commit to serving a minimum of 40 hours in 
the facility during the one-year period beginning on the 
date on which such credential or privilege is granted. 
‘‘(d) CREDENTIALING PROCESS.—(1) The Secretary 
shall ensure that each physician who seeks employment 
at the Department on a without compensation basis under 
this section receives a credential or privilege to practice 
medicine in the Department, or a decision that such a cre-
dential or privilege will not be granted, by not later than 
60 days after the date on which the physician requests 
such credential or privilege. 
‘‘(2) The director of a medical facility of the Depart-
ment shall approve, and accept the services of, any physi-
cian who meets the qualifications under subsection (c) and 
receives a credential or privilege to practice medicine in 
the facility under paragraph (1). 
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‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—(1) Not later than March 31 
of each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on physicians employed on a without 
compensation basis at the Department under this section. 
‘‘(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
shall include, for the year preceding the year during which 
the report is submitted, each of the following: 
‘‘(A) The number of physicians employed on a 
without compensation basis under this section by the 
Department in each of the Veterans Integrated 
Service Networks. 
‘‘(B) Information about staffing levels and ap-
pointment waiting times for facilities located in each 
such Veterans Integrated Service Network. 
‘‘(f) TREATMENT OF PHYSICIANS IN ANNUAL STAFF-
ING DETERMINATION.—Any physician employed on a 
without compensation basis under this section shall not 
be considered in determining under section 7412(a) of this 
title whether there is a staffing shortage throughout the 
Department with respect to a particular occupation.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
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after the item relating to section 7405 the following new 
item: 
‘‘7405A. Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans program.’’. 
Æ 
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