Biennial report on staffing of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)

Report required

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report assessing the staffing of each medical facility of the Department.(b)

Elements

Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:(1)The results of a system-wide assessment of all medical facilities of the Department to ensure the following:(A)Appropriate staffing levels for health care professionals to meet the goals of the Secretary for timely access to care for veterans.(B)Appropriate staffing levels for support personnel, including clerks.(C)Appropriate sizes for clinical panels.(D)Appropriate numbers of full-time staff, or full-time equivalents, dedicated to direct care of patients.(E)Appropriate physical plant space to meet the capacity needs of the Department in the area.(F)Such other factors that the Secretary determines necessary.(2)A plan for addressing any issues identified in the assessment under paragraph (1), including a timeline for addressing such issues.(3)A list of the current wait times and workload levels for the following clinics in each medical facility:(A)Mental health.(B)Primary care.(C)Gastroenterology.(D)Women’s health.(E)Such other clinics that the Secretary determines appropriate.(4)A description of—(A)the results of the most current determination of the Inspector General under subsection (a) of section 7412 of title 38, United States Code; and(B)a plan to use direct appointment authority under subsection (b) of such section to fill staffing shortages, including recommendations for improving the speed at which the credentialing and privileging process can be conducted.(5)The current staffing models of the Department for the following clinics, including recommendations for changes to such models:(A)Mental health.(B)Primary care.(C)Gastroenterology.(D)Women’s health.(E)Such other clinics that the Secretary determines appropriate.(6)A detailed analysis of succession planning at medical facilities of the Department, including the following:(A)The number of positions in medical facilities throughout the Department that are not filled by a permanent employee.(B)The length of time each position described in subparagraph (A) remained vacant or filled by a temporary or acting employee.(C)A description of any barriers to filling the positions described in subparagraph (A).(D)A plan for filling any positions that are vacant or filled by a temporary or acting employee for more than 180 days.(E)A plan for handling emergency circumstances, such as administrative leave or sudden medical leave for senior officials.(7)The number of health care providers of the Department who have been removed from their positions, have retired, or have left their positions for another reason, disaggregated by provider type, during the two-year period preceding the submission of the report.(8)Of the health care providers specified in paragraph (7) who have been removed from their positions, the following:(A)The number of such health care providers who were reassigned to other positions in the Department.(B)The number of such health care providers who left the Department.(C)The number of such health care providers who left the Department and whom the Secretary subsequently rehired.