HR 3279 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 21, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. RODRIGUEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR RURAL HEALTH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CLINICAL ACTIVITIES.

(a) In General- Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘Sec. 7330B. Centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities

‘(a) Establishment of Centers- The Secretary, through the Director of the Office of Rural Health, shall establish and operate not less than one and not more than five centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities, which shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) conduct research on the provision of health services in rural areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) develop specific models to be used by the Department in furnishing health services to veterans in rural areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) provide education and training for health care professionals of the Department on the furnishing of health services to veterans in rural areas; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) develop and implement innovative clinical activities and systems of care for the Department for the furnishing of health services to veterans in rural areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Geographic Dispersion- The Secretary shall ensure that the centers established under this section are located at health care facilities that are geographically dispersed throughout the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Selection Criteria- The Secretary may not designate a health care facility as a location for a center under this section unless--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the peer review panel established under subsection (d) determines that the proposal submitted by such facility meets the highest competitive standards of scientific and clinical merit; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the Secretary determines that such facility has, or may reasonably be anticipated to develop, the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) An arrangement with an accredited medical school to provide residents with education and training in health services for veterans in rural areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) The ability to attract the participation of scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity in health care research efforts.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) A policymaking advisory committee, composed of appropriate health care and research representatives of the facility and of the affiliated school or schools, to advise the directors of such facility and such center on policy matters pertaining to the activities of such center during the period of the operation of such center.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) The capability to conduct effectively evaluations of the activities of such center.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Panel To Evaluate Proposals- (1) The Director of the Office of Rural Health shall establish a panel--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) to evaluate the scientific and clinical merit of proposals submitted to establish centers under this section; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) to provide advice to the Director regarding the implementation of this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) The panel shall review each proposal received from the Secretary and shall submit its views on the relative scientific and clinical merit of each such proposal to the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) The panel established under paragraph (1) shall be comprised of experts in the fields of public health research, education, and clinical care.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) Members of the panel shall serve as consultants to the Department for a period not to exceed two years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Reports- Not later than April 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the centers established under this section. Such report shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the results of research conducted under subsection (a)(1);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) an evaluation of models related to furnishing health services to veterans in rural areas developed under subsection (a)(2);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) an evaluation of the education and training provided under subsection (a)(3); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) an evaluation of clinical activities or systems of care related to furnishing health services to veterans in rural areas developed under subsection (a)(4).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Funding- (1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Medical Care Account and the Medical and Prosthetics Research Account of the Department of Veterans Affairs such sums as may be necessary for the support of the research and education activities of the centers operated under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) There shall be allocated to the centers operated under this section, from amounts authorized to be appropriated to the Medical Care Account and the Medical and Prosthetics Research Account by paragraph (1), such amounts as the Under Secretary of health considers appropriate for such centers. Such amounts shall be allocated through the Director of the Office of Rural Health.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) Activities of clinical and scientific investigation at each center operated under this section--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) shall be eligible to compete for the award of funding from funds appropriated for the Medical and Prosthetics Research Account; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) shall receive priority in the award of funding from such account to the extent that funds are awarded to projects for research in the care of rural veterans.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 73 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7330A the following new item:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘7330B. Centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink