38 U.S.C. § 7312 — Special medical advisory group

Page 1175 TITLE 38—VETERANS’ BENEFITS § 7313 to the Regional Director of the Veterans Inte- grated Services Network, and to the National Quality Management Officer, regarding the dis- charge of the responsibilities and duties of the officer under this section. (3) The quality management officer for a Vet- erans Integrated Services Network shall— (A) direct the quality management office in the Network; and (B) coordinate, monitor, and oversee the quality management programs and activities of the Administration medical facilities in the Network in order to ensure the thorough and uniform discharge of quality management re- quirements under such programs and activi- ties throughout such facilities. (c) QUALITY MANAGEMENT OFFICERS FOR MED- ICAL FACILITIES.—(1) The director of each Vet- erans Health Administration medical facility shall appoint a quality management officer for that facility. (2) The quality management officer for a facil- ity shall report directly to the director of the fa- cility, and to the quality management officer of the Veterans Integrated Services Network in which the facility is located, regarding the dis- charge of the responsibilities and duties of the quality management officer under this section. (3) The quality management officer for a facil- ity shall be responsible for designing, dissemi- nating, and implementing quality management programs and activities for the facility that meet the requirements established by the Na- tional Quality Management Officer under sub- section (a). (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. (2) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) of subsection (a)(3), $25,000,000 for the two-year period of fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this section. (Added Pub. L. 111–163, title V, § 505(a)(1), May 5, 2010, 124 Stat. 1158.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The date of the enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 111–163, which was approved May 5, 2010. § 7312. Special medical advisory group (a) The Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the special medical advisory group. The advisory group shall advise the Secretary, through the Under Secretary for Health, and the Under Secretary for Health di- rectly, relative to the care and treatment of dis- abled veterans and other matters pertinent to the Administration. (b) Members of the special medical advisory group shall be appointed by the Secretary upon the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health. The special medical advisory group shall be composed of— (1) members of the medical, dental, podiatric, optometric, and allied scientific professions; (2) other individuals considered by the Under Secretary for Health to have experience perti- nent to the mission of the Administration; and (3) a disabled veteran. (c) The special medical advisory group shall meet on a regular basis as prescribed by the Sec- retary. The number, terms of service, pay, and allowances of members of the advisory group shall be prescribed in accordance with existing law and regulations. (d) Not later than February 1 of each year, the special medical advisory group shall submit to the Secretary and the Congress a report on the activities of the advisory group during the pre- ceding fiscal year. No report shall be required under this subsection after December 31, 2004. (Added Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 401(a)(3), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 215; amended Pub. L. 102–405, title III, § 302(c)(1), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1984; Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, § 1201(e)(20), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4686; Pub. L. 106–419, title IV, § 403(c)(5), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1864.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2000—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106–419 inserted at end ‘‘No report shall be required under this subsection after De- cember 31, 2004.’’ 1994—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–446 substituted ‘‘the ac- tivities of the advisory group’’ for ‘‘the advisory groups activities’’. 1992—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 102–405 substituted ‘‘Under Secretary for Health’’ for ‘‘Chief Medical Direc- tor’’ wherever appearing. § 7313. Advisory committees: affiliated institu- tions (a) In each case where the Secretary has a con- tract or agreement with any school, institution of higher learning, medical center, hospital, or other public or nonprofit agency, institution, or organization for the training or education of health personnel, the Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to advise the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Health with respect to policy matters arising in connection with, and the operation of, the program with respect to which it was appointed. Such a committee may be a dean’s committee, a medical advisory committee, or the like. (b) Any such advisory committee may be es- tablished on an institution-wide, multi-discipli- nary basis or on a regional basis whenever estab- lishment on such a basis is found to be feasible. (c) Members of each such advisory committee shall be appointed by the Secretary and shall in- clude personnel of the Department (including appropriate representation from the full-time staff) and of the entity with which the Secretary has entered into the contract or agreement. The number of members, and terms of members, of each advisory committee shall be prescribed by the Secretary. (d) The Secretary shall require that the Chief of the Nursing Service (or the designee of the Chief) at each Department health-care facility be included in the membership of each policy- making committee at that facility. Such com- mittees include: (1) committees relating to mat- ters such as budget, education, position manage-