H.R. 3951 — Introduced in House

I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3951 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 5, 2015 Mr. Bera introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To establish in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs the Office of Health Care Quality. 1. Establishment of Office of Health Care Quality in Veterans Health Administration (a) In general Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 7310. Office of Health Care Quality (a) Establishment There is in the Veterans Health Administration an Office of Health Care Quality (hereinafter in this section referred to as the Office). The Office shall oversee the implementation and dissemination across all medical facilities of the Department of best practices, quality improvements, corrective actions, and Inspector General recommendations. (b) Director (1) The head of the Office shall be a Director, who shall report directly to the Under Secretary for Health (without delegation). (2) Any person appointed as Director shall be— (A) an established expert in the field of health care quality, administration of medical facilities, or similar fields; and (B) qualified to carry out the duties of the Office based on demonstrated experience and expertise. (c) Functions The functions of the Office are as follows: (1) To develop and maintain a system to provide notice to all medical facilities of the Department of any applicable best practices, quality improvements, corrective actions, and Inspector General recommendations. (2) To monitor the compliance of such medical facilities with such best practices, quality improvements, corrective actions, and Inspector General recommendations. (d) Resources The Secretary shall ensure that the Director has sufficient resources to carry out the responsibilities of the Director in a timely manner. (e) Report The Director shall submit to Congress an annual report on the progress of the medical facilities of the Department in implementing applicable best practices, quality improvements, corrective actions, and Inspector General recommendations. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7309 the following new item: 7310. Office of Health Care Quality. . (c) Deadline for implementation Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Health Care Quality, as established under section 7310 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall develop an initial system for proving the notice required under such section 7310.