99 STAT. 950
PUBLIC LAW 99-166—DEC. 3, 1985 statistical information regarding Veterans' Administration healthcare programs (including such information as aggregate morbidity and mortality rates associated with specific activities at individual Veterans' Administration health-care facilities) that does not implicitly or explicitly identify individual Veterans' Administration patients or employees or individuals who participated in the conduct of a medical quality-assurance review.". SEC. 202. AUTHORITY TO EXPAND GERIATRIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CLINICAL CENTERS PROGRAM.
38 USC 4101.
Section 4101(f)(l)(A) is amended by striking out "fifteen" and inserting in lieu thereof "25". SEC. 203. REVISION OF AUTHORITY FOR APPOINTMENT OF STUDENT NURSES AND GRADUATE NURSES. Section 4114(a)(3) is amended— (1) by striking out "one year" in the second sentence of subparagraph (A) and inserting in lieu thereof "two years"; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: "(C) A student nurse who has a temporary appointment under this paragraph and who is pursuing a full course of nursing in a recognized school of nursing approved by the Administrator may be reappointed for one year. Other personnel whose appointments are limited by this section to one year may not be reappointed under this subsection.". SEC. 204. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CREDENTIALING. (a)
IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROGRAMS TO EVALUATE AND ASSURE
HEALTH-CARE QUALITY.—(1) Chapter 73 is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter:
"Subchapter V—Quality Assurance 38 USC 4151.
- '§ 4151. Quality assurance program
"(a) The Administrator shall— "(1) establish and conduct a comprehensive program to monitor and evaluate the quality of health care furnished by the Department of Medicine and Surgery (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 'quality-assuremce progrsun'); and "(2) delineate the responsibilities of the Chief Medical Director with respect to the quality-assurance program, including the duties prescribed in this section. "(b)(l) As part of the quality-assurance program, the Chief Medical Director shall periodically evaluate— "(A) whether there are significant deviations in mortality and morbidity rates for surgical procedures performed by the Department of Medicine and Surgery from prevailing national mortality and morbidity standards for similar procedures; and "(B) if there are such deviations, whether they indicate deficiencies in the quality of health care provided by the Department of Medicine and Surgery. "(2) The evaluation under paragraph (I)(A) of this subsection shall be made using the information compiled under subsection (c)(1) of this section. The evaluation under paragraph (I)(B) of this subsection shall be made taking into account the factors described in subsection (c)(2)(B) of this subsection.
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