<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>

      <rss version="2.0">		
        <channel>
          <title>WashingtonWatch.com - S. 2377, The Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act</title>
          <link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills</link>
          <description></description>
          <managingEditor>info@washingtonwatch.com</managingEditor>
          <generator>http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1</generator>
          
<item>
<title>Revision by webmaster (April 3, 2008, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_SN_2377.html?rev=21317</link>
<description>&lt;p&gt;S. 2377 would amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc0&quot;&gt; Detailed Summary &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe standards for appointment and practice as a physician within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires: (1) applicants to provide certain information, including each lawsuit, civil action, or other claim against the individual for medical malpractice or negligence, and their results; (2) each appointee to disclose any judgments against the individual for medical malpractice or negligence and any payments made; and (3) physicians already employed within the VHA to disclose such information. Prohibits a new appointment without: (1) approval of the regional director of the Veterans Integrated Services Network (Network) in which the individual will serve; (2) board certification in the specialties in which the individual will practice; and (3) a license to practice medicine in that state.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Requires: (1) the VHA's Under Secretary of Health to designate a National Quality Assurance Officer for the VHA quality assurance program; (2) each Network regional director to appoint a quality assurance officer; and (3) the director of each VHA medical facility to appoint a quality assurance officer.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Directs the Secretary to review VA policies for maintaining health care quality and patient safety at VA medical facilities.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Requires the Secretary, in order to recruit and retain VHA physicians in hard-to-fill positions, to: (1) repay certain educational loans for individuals who agree to serve for at least three years as a VHA physician; (2) reimburse tuition for medical students who agree to serve as a VHA physician after such education; and (3) enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program an individual who agrees to serve as a VHA physician for at least five days per month. Encourages the Secretary to undertake additional incentives to encourage individuals to serve or practice as VHA physicians.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc1&quot;&gt; Status of the Legislation &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Latest Major Action: 11/16/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc2&quot;&gt; Points in Favor &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc3&quot;&gt; Points Against &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">21317@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Revision by webmaster (November 17, 2007, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_SN_2377.html?rev=14292</link>
<description>&lt;p&gt;S. 2377 would amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc4&quot;&gt; Detailed Summary &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc5&quot;&gt; Status of the Legislation &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc6&quot;&gt; Points in Favor &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc7&quot;&gt; Points Against &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">14292@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Revision by webmaster (November 17, 2007, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_SN_2377.html?rev=14293</link>
<description>&lt;p&gt;S. 2377 would amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc8&quot;&gt; Detailed Summary &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc9&quot;&gt; Status of the Legislation &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Latest Major Action: 11/16/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc10&quot;&gt; Points in Favor &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc11&quot;&gt; Points Against &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">14293@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Status as of November 16, 2007</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_2377.html</link>
<description>11/16/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">31138@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>
        </channel>
      </rss>
  		