,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #biej  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #bj1 
#bjad,mr4 ,moran introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to establish the ,physician ,ambassadors
 ,helping ,veterans program to seek to  
employ physicians at the ,department of 
,veterans ,affairs on a without         
compensation basis in practice areas and
 specialties with staffing shortages and
 long appointment waiting times4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,physician ,ambassadors ,helping    
,veterans ,act4  #b4 ,physician         
,ambassadors ,helping ,veterans program 
7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,i of       
chapter #gd of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  
after section #gdje the following new   
section3  #gdje;,a4 ,physician          
,ambassadors ,helping ,veterans program 

7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall   
seek to use the authority under section 
#gdje of this title to employ physicians
 on a without compensation basis in any 
practice area or speciality for which-- 
7#a7 the average waiting time for       
veterans seeking an appointment with a  
physician in such practice area or      
specialty exceeds the waiting time goals
 established by the ,department2 or     
7#b7 the ,department facility where the 
physician will be employed has          
demonstrated staffing shortages1 as     
determined by the ,secretary4  7b7      
,volunteer coordinators ,there shall be 
in each medical facility of the         
,department a volunteer coordinator4    
,the volunteer coordinator for a medical
 facility shall-- 7#a7 seek to establish
 relationships with medical associations
 serving the area where the facility is 
located2  7#b7 recruit physicians for   
employment on a without compensation    
basis in the facility2 and  7#c7 serve  
as the initial point of contact for     

physicians seeking employment on a      
without compensation basis in the       
facility4  7c7 ,qualifications ,a       
physician employed on a without         
compensation basis shall agree1 as a    
condition of being granted a credential 
or privilege to practice medicine in a  
facility of the ,department1 to commit  
to serving a minimum of #dj hours in the
 facility during the #ab-month period   
beginning on the date on which such     
credential or privilege is granted4  7d7
 ,credentialing process  7#a7 ,the      
,secretary shall ensure that each       
physician who seeks employment at the   
,department on a without compensation   
basis receives a credential or privilege
 to practice medicine in the            
,department1 or a decision that such a  
credential or privilege will not be     
granted1 by not later than #fj days     
after the date on which the physician   
requests such credential or privilege4  
7#b7 ,the director of a medical facility
 of the ,department shall approve1 and  

accept the services of1 any physician   
who meets the qualifications under      
subsection 7c7 and receives a credential
 or privilege to practice medicine in   
the facility under paragraph 7#a74  7e7 
,annual report ,not later than ,march   
#ca of each year1 the ,secretary shall  
submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' 
,affairs and the ,committees on         
,appropriations of the ,senate and      
,house of ,representatives a report on  
physicians employed on a without        
compensation basis at the ,department4  
,each such report shall include1 for the
 year preceding the year during which   
the report is submitted1 each of the    
following3 7#a7 ,the number of          
physicians employed on a without        
compensation basis by the ,department in
 each of the ,veterans ,integrated      
,service ,networks4  7#b7 ,information  
about staffing levels and appointment   
waiting times for facilities located in 
each such ,veterans ,integrated ,service
 ,networks4  4  7b7 ,clerical amendment 

,the table of sections at the beginning 
of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section #gdje
 the following new item3  #gdje;,a4     
,physician ,ambassadors ,helping        
,veterans program4  4