Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act
PL 114-270 (S.2873), enacted 12/14/2016

130 STAT. 1395 
PUBLIC LAW 114–270—DEC. 14, 2016 
Public Law 114–270 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To require studies and reports examining the use of, and opportunities to use, 
technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models to improve 
programs of the Department of Health and Human Services, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Expanding Capacity for Health 
Outcomes Act’’ or the ‘‘ECHO Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL
SHORTAGE
AREA.—The term 
‘‘health professional shortage area’’ means a health professional 
shortage area designated under section 332 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e). 
(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(3) MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA.—The term ‘‘medically 
underserved area’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘medically 
underserved community’’ in section 799B of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p). 
(4) MEDICALLY
UNDERSERVED
POPULATION.—The term 
‘‘medically underserved population’’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 330(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 254b(b)). 
(5) NATIVE AMERICANS.—The term ‘‘Native Americans’’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 736 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293) and includes Indian tribes and 
tribal organizations. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services. 
(7) TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND 
CAPACITY
BUILDING
MODEL.—The term ‘‘technology-enabled 
collaborative learning and capacity building model’’ means a 
distance health education model that connects specialists with 
multiple other health care professionals through simultaneous 
interactive videoconferencing for the purpose of facilitating 
case-based learning, disseminating best practices, and evalu-
ating outcomes. 
(8) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘tribal organization’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian 
Expanding 
Capacity for 
Health Outcomes 
Act. 
Dec. 14, 2016 
[S. 2873] 
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130 STAT. 1396 
PUBLIC LAW 114–270—DEC. 14, 2016 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304). 
SEC. 3. EXAMINATION AND REPORT ON TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED 
COLLABORATIVE 
LEARNING 
AND 
CAPACITY 
BUILDING 
MODELS. 
(a) EXAMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall examine technology- 
enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models 
and their impact on— 
(A) addressing mental and substance use disorders, 
chronic diseases and conditions, prenatal and maternal 
health, pediatric care, pain management, and palliative 
care; 
(B) addressing health care workforce issues, such as 
specialty care shortages and primary care workforce 
recruitment, retention, and support for lifelong learning; 
(C) the implementation of public health programs, 
including those related to disease prevention, infectious 
disease outbreaks, and public health surveillance; 
(D) the delivery of health care services in rural areas, 
frontier areas, health professional shortage areas, and 
medically underserved areas, and to medically underserved 
populations and Native Americans; and 
(E) addressing other issues the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In the examination required under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult public and private 
stakeholders with expertise in using technology-enabled collabo-
rative learning and capacity building models in health care 
settings. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives, and post on the appropriate website 
of the Department of Health and Human Services, a report 
based on the examination under subsection (a). 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required under paragraph (1) 
shall include findings from the examination under subsection 
(a) and each of the following: 
(A) An analysis of— 
(i) the use and integration of technology-enabled 
collaborative learning and capacity building models by 
health care providers; 
(ii) the impact of such models on health care pro-
vider retention, including in health professional short-
age areas in the States and communities in which 
such models have been adopted; 
(iii) the impact of such models on the quality of, 
and access to, care for patients in the States and 
communities in which such models have been adopted; 
(iv) the barriers faced by health care providers, 
States, and communities in adopting such models; 
(v) the impact of such models on the ability of 
local health care providers and specialists to practice 
Analysis. 
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130 STAT. 1397 
PUBLIC LAW 114–270—DEC. 14, 2016 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2873: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016): 
Nov. 29, considered and passed Senate. 
Dec. 6, considered and passed House. 
to the full extent of their education, training, and 
licensure, including the effects on patient wait times 
for specialty care; and 
(vi) efficient and effective practices used by States 
and communities that have adopted such models, 
including potential cost-effectiveness of such models. 
(B) A list of such models that have been funded by 
the Secretary in the 5 years immediately preceding such 
report, including the Federal programs that have provided 
funding for such models. 
(C) Recommendations to reduce barriers for using and 
integrating such models, and opportunities to improve 
adoption of, and support for, such models as appropriate. 
(D) Opportunities for increased adoption of such models 
into programs of the Department of Health and Human 
Services that are in existence as of the report. 
(E) Recommendations regarding the role of such models 
in continuing medical education and lifelong learning, 
including the role of academic medical centers, provider 
organizations, and community providers in such education 
and lifelong learning. 
Approved December 14, 2016. 
Recommenda- 
tions. 
Recommenda- 
tions. 
List. 
Time period. 
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