38 U.S.C. § 8154 — Exchange of medical information

Page 1365 TITLE 38—VETERANS’ BENEFITS § 8155 Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2000 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 106–419, title IV, § 404(b)(2), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1866, provided that the amendment made by sec- tion 404(b)(2) is effective Nov. 21, 1997, and as if included in Pub. L. 105–114 as originally enacted. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1976 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 94–581 effective Oct. 21, 1976, see section 211 of Pub. L. 94–581, set out as a note under section 111 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1973 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 93–82 effective Sept. 1, 1973, see section 501 of Pub. L. 93–82, set out as a note under section 1701 of this title. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON RATES AND PROCEDURES COV- ERING PAYMENT OF BENEFITS FOR CARE OR SERVICES PROVIDED IN VETERANS’ ADMINISTRATION HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO INDIVIDUALS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR VETERANS’ HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, DOMICILIARY, OR MEDICAL CARE Pub. L. 94–581, title I, § 115(c), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2853, provided that at such time as the rates and proce- dures described in subsec. (d) of this section were pre- scribed, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Wel- fare [now Secretary of Health and Human Services], in consultation with the Administrator of Veterans’ Af- fairs, was to submit to the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Fi- nance and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a full report describing such rates and proce- dures. § 8154. Exchange of medical information (a) The Secretary is authorized to enter into agreements with medical schools, hospitals, re- search centers, and individual members of the medical profession under which medical infor- mation and techniques will be freely exchanged and the medical information services of all par- ties to the agreement will be available for use by any party to the agreement under conditions specified in the agreement. In carrying out the purposes of this section, the Secretary shall uti- lize recent developments in electronic equip- ment to provide a close educational, scientific, and professional link between Department hos- pitals and major medical centers. Such agree- ments shall be utilized by the Secretary to the maximum extent practicable to create, at each Department hospital which is a part of any such agreement, an environment of academic medi- cine which will help such hospital attract and retain highly trained and qualified members of the medical profession. (b) In order to bring about utilization of all medical information in the surrounding medical community, particularly in remote areas, and to foster and encourage the widest possible co- operation and consultation among all members of the medical profession in such community, the educational facilities and programs estab- lished at Department hospitals and the elec- tronic link to medical centers shall be made available for use by the surrounding medical community (including State home facilities fur- nishing domiciliary, nursing home, or hospital care to veterans). The Secretary may charge a fee for such services (on annual or like basis) at rates which the Secretary determines, after ap- propriate study, to be fair and equitable. The fi- nancial status of any user of such services shall be taken into consideration by the Secretary in establishing the amount of the fee to be paid. Any proceeds to the Government received there- from shall be credited to the applicable Depart- ment medical appropriation. (c) The Secretary is authorized to enter into agreements with public and nonprofit private in- stitutions, organizations, corporations, and other entities in order to participate in coopera- tive health-care personnel education programs within the geographical area of any Department health-care facility located in an area remote from major academic health centers. (Added Pub. L. 89–785, title II, § 203, Nov. 7, 1966, 80 Stat. 1374, § 5054; amended Pub. L. 94–424, § 1(1), Sept. 28, 1976, 90 Stat. 1332; Pub. L. 94–581, title II, §§ 206(d), 210(e)(12), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2859, 2865; Pub. L. 96–151, title I, § 102(a), Dec. 20, 1979, 93 Stat. 1092; Pub. L. 97–251, § 9, Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 716; renumbered § 8154, Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238; Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(E), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404, 405.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 5054 of this title as this section. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted ‘‘Sec- retary’’ for ‘‘Administrator’’ wherever appearing. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted ‘‘Department’’ for ‘‘Veterans’ Administration’’ wherever appearing. 1982—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–251 inserted ‘‘(including State home facilities furnishing domiciliary, nursing home, or hospital care to veterans)’’ after ‘‘by the sur- rounding medical community’’. 1979—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–151 added subsec. (c). 1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–581 substituted ‘‘by the surrounding’’ for ‘‘by surrounding’’ and ‘‘which the Ad- ministrator determines’’ for ‘‘which he determines’’. Pub. L. 94–424 inserted provision that any proceeds to the Government received therefrom shall be credited to the applicable Veterans’ Administration medical appro- priation. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1976 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 94–581 effective Oct. 21, 1976, see section 211 of Pub. L. 94–581, set out as a note under section 111 of this title. § 8155. Pilot programs; grants to medical schools (a) The Secretary may establish an Advisory Subcommittee on Programs for Exchange of Medical Information, of the Special Medical Ad- visory Group, established under section 7312 of this title, to advise the Secretary on matters re- garding the administration of this section and to coordinate these functions with other re- search and education programs in the Depart- ment of Medicine and Surgery. The Assistant Under Secretary for Health charged with admin- istration of the Department of Medicine and Surgery medical research program shall be an ex officio member of this Subcommittee. (b) The Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Subcommittee, is authorized to make grants to medical schools, hospitals, and re- search centers to assist such medical schools,