1374
PUBLIC LAW 89-785-NOV. 7, 1966
[80 STAT.
"(c) The term 'hospital', unless otherwise specified, includes any Federal, State, local, or other public or private hospital.
- § 5053. Specialized medical resources
"(a) To secure certain specialized medical resources which otherwise might not be feasibly available, or to effectively utilize certain other medical resources, the Administrator may, when he determines it to be in the best interest of the prevailing standards of the Veterans' Administration medical care program, make arrangements, by contract or other form of agreement, as set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) below, between Veterans' Administration hospitals and other hospitals (or medical schools or other medical installations having hospital facilities) in the medical community: "(1) for the exchange of use of specialized medical resources when such an agreement will obviate the need for a similar resource to be provided in a Veterans' Administration facility; or "(2) for the mutual use, or exchange of use, of specialized medical resources in a Veterans' Administration facility, which have been justified on the basis of veterans' care, but which are not utilized to their maximum effective capacity. The Administrator may determine the geographical limitations of a medical community as used in this section. "(b) Arrangements entered into under this section shall provide for reciprocal reimbursement based on a charge which covers the full cost of services rendered, supplies used, and including normal depreciation and amortization costs of equipment. Any proceeds to the Government received therefrom shall be credited to the applicable Veterans' Administration medical appropriation. "(c) Eligibility for hospital care and medical services furnished any veteran pursuant to this section shall be subject to the same terms as though provided in a Veterans' Administration facility, and provisions of this title applicable to persons receivin.T hospital care or medical services in a Veterans' Administration facility shall apply to veterans treated hereunder. § 5054. Exchange of medical information " (a) The Administrator is authorized to enter into agreements with medical schools, hospitals, research centerSj and individual members of the medical profession under which medical information and techniques will be freely exchanged and the medical information services of all parties 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 Administrator shall utilize recent developments in electronic equipment to provide a close educational, scientific, and professional link between Veterans' Administration hospitals and major medical centers. Such agreements shall be utilized by the Administrator to the maximum extent practicable to create, at each Veterans' Administration hospital which is a part of any such agreement, an environment of academic medicine which will help such nospital 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 cooperation and consultation among all members of the medical profession in such community, the educational facilities and programs established at Veterans' Administration hospitals and the electronic link to medical centers shall be made available for use by surrounding medical community. The Administrator may charge a fee for such services (on
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