#aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,s4 #fjg
  ,,an ,,act  ,to require ! ,secret>y ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs to e/abli% & implem5t 
a plan to improve ! process = s*$ul+    
appo9tm5ts = heal? c>e f ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,improv+ ,vet]an ,access to ,c>e ,act4
  #b4 ,implem5tation ( & report on ef=ts
 ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to     
improve heal? c>e appo9tm5t s*$ul+  7a7 
,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to !      
appropriate committees ( ,congress a    
plan to improve ! process = s*$ul+      
appo9tm5ts = heal? c>e f ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+ improvem5ts =
 bo? pati5ts & employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t  
responsible = s*$ul+ su* appo9tm5ts4    
7b7 ,elem5ts ( plan  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!   
plan requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all     
include-- 7,a7 su* actions1 res\rces1   
te*nology1 & process improvem5ts z !    
,secret>y det]m9es necess>y to ensure ! 

,dep>tm5t a*ieves1 9 a timely mann]1    
improv$ deliv]y ( heal? c>e1 access to  
heal? c>e1 cu/om] exp]i5ce & s]vice     
relat+ to ! receipt ( heal? c>e1 &      
effici5cy ) respect to ! deliv]y ( heal?
 c>e2 &  7,b7 a propos$ s*$ule & timel9e
 to c>ry out su* plan4  7#b7 ,objectives
  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all ensure
 t ! plan requir$ by subsection 7a7     
addresses ! foll[+ objectives3 7i7 ,to  
develop or cont9ue ! developm5t ( a     
s*$ul+ sy/em t enables bo? p]sonnel &   
pati5ts ( ! ,dep>tm5t to view available 
appo9tm5ts = c>e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t1
 includ+ prim>y c>e1 m5tal heal? c>e1 & 
all =ms ( specialty c>e4  7ii7 ,to      
develop or cont9ue ! developm5t ( a     
self-s]vice s*$ul+ plat=m1 available =  
use by all pati5ts ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 :i*   
%all-- 7,i7 enable su* pati5ts to view  
available appo9tm5ts &1 subject to !    
me?od provid$ "u subclause 7,,ii71 fully
 s*$ule appo9tm5ts = all c>e furni%$ by 
! ,dep>tm5t2  7,,ii7 if a ref]ral is    
requir$ = an appo9tm5t1 provide a me?od 

= ! pati5t to reque/ a ref]ral &        
subsequ5tly book an appo9tm5t if !      
ref]ral is approv$2 &  7,,iii7 provide  
su* pati5ts ) ! ability to cancel or    
res*$ule appo9tm5ts4  7iii7 ,to create a
 process ?r\gh :i* all pati5ts ( !      
,dep>tm5t c telephonically speak ) a    
s*$ul] :o c assi/ ! pati5t to det]m9e   
appo9tm5t availability & c fully s*$ule 
appo9tm5ts on behalf ( ! pati5t = all   
c>e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t4  7iv7 ,to   
c>ry out su* o!r functions1 ov]sight1   
metric developm5t & track+1 *ange       
managem5t1 cross-,dep>tm5t coord9ation1 
& o!r relat$ matt]s1 includ+ improvem5ts
 to employee-fac+ in=mation te*nology1  
tra9+1 & processes1 z ! ,secret>y       
det]m9es appropriate z x relates to     
s*$ul+ tools1 functions1 & op]ations )  
respect to heal? c>e appo9tm5ts furni%$ 
by ! ,dep>tm5t4  7,b7 ,explanation (    
inability to implem5t c]ta9 objectives1 
features1 or s]vices ,if ! ,secret>y    
det]m9es t an objective "u subp>agraph  
7,a71 or any feature or s]vice 9        

connection ) t objective1 _c be         
implem5t$ or o!rwise incorporat$ into a 
f9al product pursuant to ! plan requir$ 
by subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y %all     
include ) ! plan submitt$ "u su*        
subsection a report conta9+-- 7i7 an    
explanation z to :y t objective1        
feature1 or s]vice _c be implem5t$ or   
incorporat$1 z ! case may be2 &  7ii7 a 
plan = implem5t+ ! plan requir$ by      
subsection 7a7 )\t t objective1 feature1
 or s]vice4  7c7 ,implem5tation ,n lat] 
?an two ye>s aft] submitt+ to !         
appropriate committees ( ,congress !    
plan requir$ by subsection 7a71 !       
,secret>y %all fully implem5t ! plan4   
7d7 ,coord9ation ) ,electronic ,heal?   
,record ,mod]nization ,program ,9       
develop+ ! plan requir$ by subsection   
7a71 ! ,secret>y %all ensure t ! elem5ts
 & objectives ( su* plan set =? "u      
subsection 7b7 are develop$ 9           
consid]ation ( ! deploym5t s*$ule &     
capabilities ( ! ,electronic ,heal?     
,record ,mod]nization ,program ( !      

,dep>tm5t to ensure a smoo? transition  
to us+ ! tools & features "u su* plan z 
relevant & appropriate4  7e7            
,implem5tation reports ,n lat] ?an ea* (
 "o ye> & two ye>s aft] ! date on :i* ! 
,secret>y submits ! plan requir$ by     
subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y %all submit 
to ! appropriate committees ( ,congress 
a report on ! progress ( ! ,secret>y 9  
implem5t+ su* plan1 includ+-- 7#a7 !    
co/s incurr$ to implem5t ! plan z ( !   
date ( ! report2  7#b7 ! expect$ co/s to
 complete implem5tation ( ! plan        
7includ+ co/s = managem5t & te*nology72 
7#c7 ! s*$ule = deploym5t ( any         
capabilities develop$ pursuant to !     
plan2 &  7#d7 ! goals & metrics a*iev$1 
*all5ges1 & lessons le>n$ 9 implem5t+ ! 
plan4  7f7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9  
?is section %all be con/ru$ to require !
 ,secret>y to include 9 ! plan requir$  
by subsection 7a7 any te*nology or      
process t w\ld preclude or imp$e !      
ability ( a vet]an to contact or s*$ule 
an appo9tm5t directly ) a facility or   

provid] ?r\gh a non-onl9e s*$ul+        
process1 %\ld ! vet]an *oose to d s4    
7g7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7    
,appropriate committees ( ,congress ,!  
t]m appropriate committees ( ,congress  
means ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs
 ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' 
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4   
7#b7 ,fully s*$ule ,! t]m fully s*$ule1 
) respect to an appo9tm5t = heal? c>e1  
means t ! appo9tm5t book+ is complet$1 r
 ?an simply reque/$4  ,pass$ ! ,s5ate   
,decemb] #ah1 #bjbe4,secret>y