[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4591 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4591
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress
periodic reports on the costs, performance metrics, and outcomes of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record Modernization
program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``VA Electronic Health Record
Transparency Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. REPORTS ON COSTS, PERFORMANCE METRICS, AND OUTCOMES OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD
MODERNIZATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 503 of the Veterans Benefits and
Transition Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-407; 38 U.S.C. 5701 note prec.)
is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f);
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new
subsection (e):
``(e) Quarterly Reports.--
``(1) Reports on costs of ehrm program.--Not later than 90
days after the date of the enactment of the VA Electronic
Health Record Transparency Act of 2021, and every 30 days after
the last day of each fiscal quarter thereafter until the
termination date specified in paragraph (3), the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans'
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on
the costs of the Electronic Health Record Modernization program
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Each such report shall
include, for the period covered by the report and for the total
period beginning on the date of the enactment of the VA
Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021 and ending on
the date of the submittal of the report, a description of all
actual expenses of, and driven by, such program, including any
such expenses paid using--
``(A) any funds appropriated for the Department of
Veterans Affairs, for any source or account, expended
by any organizational element of the Department or by
the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization
Office for the Electronic Health Record Modernization
Program;
``(B) any funds, from any source or account,
expended by any organizational element of the
Department for physical or technology infrastructure
modifications, enhancements, improvements, or
expansions at a facility of the Department necessitated
by, or related or pertaining to, the Electronic Health
Record Modernization Program; and
``(C) any funds, from any source or account,
expended by any organizational element of the
Department or by the Federal Electronic Health Record
Modernization Office for consultants, support
contractors, or experts related or pertaining to the
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
``(2) Reports on performance metrics and outcomes.--Not
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the VA
Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021, and every 30
days after the last day of each fiscal quarter thereafter until
the termination date specified in paragraph (3), the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans'
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on
the performance metrics and outcomes of the Electronic Health
Record Modernization Program. Each such report shall include,
for the period covered by the report--
``(A) a list of the quality, performance, safety,
or value metrics, key performance indicators, and other
diagnostic or evaluation criteria in use to assess the
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program and the
electronic health record system, in general and at
individual facilities, with respect to veterans,
employees of the Department, and Departmental
operations;
``(B) an explanation of any change to any of such
metrics, indicators, and criteria compared to the
metrics, indicators, and criteria included in any
previous report submitted under this paragraph;
``(C) the data supporting or demonstrating each
such metric, indicator, and criteria compared to the
data supporting or demonstrating such metric,
indicator, or criteria as included in the previous
report submitted under this paragraph; and
``(D) a list of patient safety reports, incidents,
alerts, or disclosures at each facility of the
Department where the electronic health record system
has been implemented.
``(3) Termination date.--The requirement to submit a report
under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 90 days
after the date on which the Secretary submits to the Committees
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives
certification that the Electronic Health Record Modernization
program has been fully implemented.''; and
(3) in subsection (f), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by
adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(3) The term `electronic health record system' means the
electronic health record system implemented pursuant to the
Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
``(4) The term `Federal Electronic Health Record Management
Office' means the office established under section 1635(b) of
the Wounded Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110-181; 10
U.S.C. 1071 note).
``(5) The term `facility of the Department' includes a
joint facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense.''.
Passed the House of Representatives November 16, 2021.
Attest:
Clerk.
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4591
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress
periodic reports on the costs, performance metrics, and outcomes of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record Modernization
program.