,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ahdh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #c1 #bjag,mr4  
,roe ( ,t5nessee 7= himself1 ,mr4       
,wald51 & ,mr4 ,higg9s ( ,l\isiana7     
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a pilot   
program on ! use ( m$ical scribes 9     
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical    
c5t]s4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be
 cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,affairs ,m$ical     
,scribe ,pilot ,act ( #bjag4  #b4       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical    
scribe pilot program  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!   
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all c>ry 
out a two-ye> pilot program "u :i* !    
,secret>y %all increase ! use ( m$ical  
scribes at ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 m$ical c5t]s4  7b7 ,locations ,!       
,secret>y %all c>ry out ! pilot program 
at ! #aj m$ical c5t]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t z   
foll[s3  7#a7 ,at lea/ f\r su* m$ical   
c5t]s locat$ 9 rural areas4  7#b7 ,at   

lea/ f\r su* m$ical c5t]s locat$ 9 urban
 areas4  7#c7 ,two su* m$ical c5t]s     
locat$ 9 areas ) ne$ = increas$ access  
or increas$ effici5cy1 z det]m9e by !   
,secret>y4  7c7 ,m$ical scribes  7#a7   
,hir+ ,"u ! pilot program ! ,secret>y   
%all-- 7,a7 hire #bj new ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs t]m employees z m$ical
 scribes2 &  7,b7 seek to ent] into     
contracts ) appropriate entities = !    
employm5t ( #bj additional m$ical       
scribes4  7#b7 ,di/ribution ,! ,secret>y
 %all assign f\r m$ical scribes to ea* (
 ! #aj m$ical c5t]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t :]e ! 
,secret>y c>ries out ! pilot program z  
foll[s3  7,a7 ,two scribes %all be      
assign$ to ea* ( two physicians4  7,b7  
,?irty p]c5t ( ! scribes %all be employ$
 9 ! provision ( em]g5cy c>e4  7,c7     
,sev5ty p]c5t ( ! scribes %all be       
employ$ 9 ! provision ( speciality c>e 9
 specialties ) ! longe/ pati5t wait     
times or l[e/ effici5cy rat+s1 z det]m9$
 by ! ,secret>y4  7d7 ,reports  7#a7    
,reports to ,congress ,n lat] ?an #ahj  

days aft] ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program
 requir$ "u ?is section1 & e #ahj days  
!reaft] = ! duration ( ! pilot program1 
! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all    
submit to ,congress a report on ! pilot 
program4 ,ea* su* report %all include   
ea* ( ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,a sep>ate        
analysis ( ea* ! foll[+ ) respect to    
m$ical scribes employ$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs & m$ical scribes p]=m+
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs functions
 "u a contract3  7i7 ,provid] effici5cy4
  7ii7 ,pati5t satisfaction4  7iii7     
,av]age wait "t4  7iv7 ,! numb] (       
pati5ts se5 p] day by ea* physician or  
practition]4  7v7 ,! am\nt ( "t requir$ 
to hire & tra9 an employee to p]=m      
m$ical scribe functions "u ! pilot      
program4  7,b7 ,metrics & data = analyz+
 ! effects ( ! pilot program1 includ+ an
 evaluation ( ! ea* ( ! elem5ts "u      
clauses 7i7 ?r\gh 7iv7 ( subp>agraph    
7,a7 at m$ical c5t]s :o employ$ scribes 
"u ! pilot program = an appropriate     
p]iod prec$+ ! hir+ ( su* scribes4  7#b7

 ,comptroll] ,g5]al report ,n lat] ?an  
#ij days aft] ! t]m9ation ( ! pilot     
program "u ?is section1 ! ,comptroll]   
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all submit to 
,congress a report on ! pilot program4  
,su* report %all include a comp>ison ( !
 pilot program ) simil> programs c>ri$  
out 9 ! private sector4  7e7 ,def9itions
 ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m m$ical     
scribe means an unlic5s$ individual hir$
 to ent] in=mation into ! electronic    
heal? record or *>t at ! direction ( a  
physician or lic5s$ indep5d5t           
practition] ^: responsibilities include 
! foll[+3  7,a7 ,assi/+ ! physician or  
practition] 9 navigat+ ! electronic     
heal? record4  7,b7 ,respond+ to v>i\s  
messages z direct$ by ! physician or    
practition]4  7,c7 ,ent]+ in=mation into
 ! electronic heal? record1 z direct$ by
 ! physician or practition]4  7#b7 ,!   
t]ms urban & rural h ! mean+s giv5 su*  
t]ms "u ! rural-urban commut+ codes     
develop$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture &
 ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices4

  7f7 ,fund+ ,! pilot program "u ?is    
section %all be c>ri$ out us+ am\nts    
o!rwise au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ = !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4 ,no      
additional am\nts are au?oriz$ to be    
appropriat$ to c>ry out su* program4