#aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,s4 #bba
  ,,an ,,act  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$
 ,/ates ,code1 to require ! ,"u         
,secret>y ( ,heal? to report major      
adv]se p]sonnel actions involv+ c]ta9   
heal? c>e employees to ! ,national      
,practition] ,data ,bank & to applicable
 ,/ate lic5s+ bo>ds1 & = o!r purposes4  
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ,provid]
 ,acc\ntability ,act4  #b4              
,acc\ntability )9 ,vet]ans ,heal?       
,adm9i/ration  7a7 ,report+ major adv]se
 actions to ,national ,practition] ,data
 ,bank & ,/ate lic5s+ bo>ds ,section    
#gdfa ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 
is am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new  
subsection3  7f7 7#a7 ,:5ev] ! ,"u      
,secret>y = ,heal? 7or an (ficial       
designat$ by ! ,"u ,secret>y7 br+s *>ges
 bas$ on conduct or p]=mance aga9/ a    
section #gdja7a7 employee & z a result (
 ^? *>ges a cov]$ major adv]se action is
 tak5 aga9/ ! employee1 ! ,"u ,secret>y 
%all1 n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date on

 :i* su* cov]$ major adv]se action is   
c>ri$ out-- 7,a7 transmit to ! ,national
 ,practition] ,data ,bank ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices & !          
applicable ,/ate lic5s+ bo>d ! "n ( !   
employee1 a description ( ! cov]$ major 
adv]se action1 & a description ( !      
reason = ! cov]$ major adv]se action2 & 
7,b7 update ! ,vet,pro ,sy/em1 or       
successor sy/em1 ) a record ( ! cov]$   
major adv]se action tak5 & an indication
 t in=mation 0 transmitt$ "u subp>agraph
 7,a74  7#b7 ,! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal?--
 7,a7 %all enroll all #gdja7a7 employees
 9 a cont9u\s qu]y ( _! record )9 !     
,national ,practition] ,data ,bank2 &   
7,b7 %all develop & implem5t a me*anism 
= ma9ta9+ & updat+ ! in=mation collect$ 
?r\gh su* cont9u\s qu]y )9 ! ,vet,pro   
,sy/em1 or successor sy/em1 to          
facilitate ! %>+ ( su* in=mation betwe5 
,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice ,networks4  
7#c7 ,9 ?is subsection1 ! t]m cov]$     
major adv]se action means a major adv]se
 action ) respect to a section #gdja7a7 

employee t orig9at$ f circum/ances 9 :i*
 ! behavior ( ! employee s sub/antially 
fail$ to meet g5]ally-accept$ /&>ds (   
cl9ical practice z to raise reasonable  
conc]n = safety ( pati5ts4  4  7b7      
,prohibition on sign+ settlem5ts ) c]ta9
 clauses  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,except z       
provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs may n ent] into a     
settlem5t agreem5t relat+ to an adv]se  
action aga9/ a section #gdja7a7 employee
 "u :i* ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
w\ld be requir$ to conceal a s]i\s      
m$ical error or a lapse 9               
g5]ally-accept$ /&>ds ( cl9ical         
practice4  7#b7 ,exception ,p>agraph    
7#a7 %all n apply to a negative record  
if ! head ( ! ,(fice ( ,acc\ntability & 
,:i/lebl[] ,protection ( ! ,dep>tm5t & !
 ,special ,c\nsel 7e/abli%$ by section  
#abaa ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code7  
jo9tly c]tify t ! negative record is n  
legitimate4  7c7 ,tra9+ on cr$5tial+ &  
privileg+ ,! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal? ( ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      

provide to all /aff ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? 
,adm9i/ration :o h&le hir+1 privileg+1 &
 cr$5tial+ m&atory tra9+ on-- 7#a7 all  
policies ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?            
,adm9i/ration = cr$5tial+ & privileg+2 &
  7#b7 :5 & h[ to report adv]se actions 
to ! ,national ,practition] ,data ,bank 
( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human         
,s]vices1 ,/ate lic5s+ bo>ds1 & o!r     
relevant entities4  7d7 ,s5se (         
,congress on updates to ! ,,vha h&book  
,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t-- 7#a7       
,congress recognizes t ! confusion      
reg>d+ practices 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?    
,adm9i/ration = report+ to ,/ate lic5s+ 
bo>ds /ems f a lack ( guidance 9 !      
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration h&book    
#aajj4ah2  7#b7 ,congress /rongly       
recomm5ds t ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs update su* h&book to ensure t  
employees ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration1 (ficials ( ! ,vet]ans    
,integrat$ ,s]vices ,networks1 &        
(ficials ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs und]/& & are able to utilize ! 

role ( ,/ate lic5s+ bo>ds to effectively
 prev5t in/ances ( fail$ report+ &      
future pati5t safety conc]ns2  7#c7     
,congress recognizes ! broad au?ority ( 
! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration to      
report to ,/ate lic5s+ bo>ds ^? employ$ 
or sep>at$ heal? c>e pr(essionals ^:    
behavior & cl9ical practice s           
sub/antially fail$ to meet              
g5]ally-accept$ /&>ds ( cl9ical practice
 z to raise reasonable conc]n = safety (
 pati5ts & reque/s t su* h&book is      
updat$ to reflect appropriate report+   
*annels to ensure employee und]/&+ ( ^? 
proc$ures & au?orities2 &  7#d7 9       
develop+ ! new h&book1 ! ,secret>y (    
,vet]ans ,affairs %\ld consult )-- 7,a7 
,/ate lic5s+ bo>ds2  7,b7 ! ,c5t]s =    
,m$ic>e  ,m$icaid ,s]vices2  7,c7 !     
,national ,practition] ,data ,bank ( !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices2 & 
7,d7 ! exclusive repres5tative ( section
 #gdja7a7 employees4  7e7 ,section      
#gdja7a7 employee def9$ ,9 ?is section1 
! t]m section #gdja7a7 employee has !   

mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #gdfa7;c77#a7
 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4      
,pass$ ! ,s5ate ,decemb] #ai1           
#bjai4,secret>y