Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act

Bill: 110-hr-4463
Sponsor: Rep. Costello, Jerry F. [D-IL-12]
Introduced: 2007-12-12 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Department of Veterans Affairs
Education
Employee selection
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Government employees' health insurance
Health
Higher education
Law
Licenses
Medical education
Medical malpractice
Negligence
Physicians
Quality of care
Recruiting of employees
Scholarships
Student loan funds
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: 
Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe standards for appointment and practice as a physician within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires: (1) applicants to provide certain information, including each lawsuit, civil action, or other claim against the individual for medical malpractice or negligence, and their results; (2) each appointee to disclose any judgments against the individual for medical malpractice or negligence and any payments made; and (3) physicians already employed within the VHA to disclose such information. Prohibits a new appointment without: (1) approval of the regional director of the Veterans Integrated Services Network (Network) in which the individual will serve; (2) board certification in the specialties in which the individual will practice; and (3) a license to practice medicine in that state.
 
Requires: (1) the VHA's Under Secretary of Health to designate a National Quality Assurance Officer for the VHA quality assurance program; (2) each Network regional director to appoint a quality assurance officer; and (3) the director of each VHA medical facility to appoint a quality assurance officer.
 
Directs the Secretary to review VA policies for maintaining health care quality and patient safety at VA medical facilities.
 
Requires the Secretary, in order to recruit and retain VHA physicians in hard-to-fill positions, to: (1) repay certain educational loans for individuals who agree to serve for at least three years as a VHA physician; (2) reimburse tuition for medical students who agree to serve as a VHA physician after such education; and (3) enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program an individual who agrees to serve as a VHA physician for at least five days per month. Encourages the Secretary to undertake additional incentives to encourage individuals to serve or practice as VHA physicians.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-12-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Introduced in House