§7310A. Annual reports on Women’s Health
38 U.S.C. § 7310A
Annual Reports.— Not later than December 1 of each year, the Chief Officer of Women’s Health shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing the matters under subsections (b) through (g).
actions taken by the Office of Women’s Health established under section 7310 of this title in the preceding fiscal year to improve the provision of health care by the Department to women veterans;
any identified deficiencies related to the provision of health care by the Department to women veterans and the standards of care established in such section and the plan of the Department to address such deficiencies;
the funding and personnel provided to the Office and whether additional funding or personnel are needed to meet the requirements of such section; and
other information that would be of interest to the appropriate congressional committees with respect to oversight of the provision of health care by the Department to women veterans.
Access to Gender-specific Services.—
Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the access of women veterans to gender-specific services under contracts, agreements, or other arrangements with non-Department medical providers entered into by the Secretary for the provision of hospital care or medical services to veterans.
The analysis under paragraph (1) shall include data and performance measures for the availability of gender-specific services described in such paragraph, including—
the average wait time between the preferred appointment date of the veteran and the date on which the appointment is completed;
the average driving time required for veterans to attend appointments; and
reasons why appointments could not be scheduled with non-Department medical providers.
Models of Care.—
Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the use by the Department of general primary care clinics, separate but shared spaces, and women’s health centers as delivery of care models for women veterans.
The analysis under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
The number of facilities of the Department that fall into each delivery of care model described in such paragraph, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and State.
A description of the criteria used by the Department to determine which such model is most appropriate for each facility of the Department.
An assessment of how the Department decides to make investments to modify facilities to a different model.
A description of what, if any, plans the Department has to modify facilities from general primary care clinics to another model.
An assessment of whether any facilities could be modified to a separate but shared space for a women’s health center within planned investments under the strategic capital investment planning process of the Department.
An assessment of whether any facilities could be modified to a separate or shared space or a women’s health center with minor modifications to existing plans under the strategic capital investment planning process of the Department.
An assessment of whether the Department has a goal for how many facilities should fall into each such model.
Staffing.— Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the staffing of the Department relating to the treatment of women, including the following, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and State (except with respect to paragraph (4)):
The number of women’s health centers.
The number of patient aligned care teams of the Department relating to women’s health.
The number of full- and part-time gynecologists of the Department.
The number of designated women’s health care providers of the Department, disaggregated by facility of the Department.
The number of health care providers of the Department who have completed a mini-residency for women’s health care through the Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program of the Department during the one-year period preceding the submittal of the report and the number of mini-residency training slots for such program that are available during the one-year period following such date.
The number of designated women’s health care providers of the Department who have sufficient women patient loads or case complexities to retain their competencies and proficiencies.
Accessibility and Treatment Options.— Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the accessibility and treatment options for women veterans, including the following:
An assessment of wheelchair accessibility of women’s health centers of the Department, including, with respect to each such center, an assessment of accessibility for each kind of treatment provided at the center, including with respect to radiology and mammography, that addresses all relevant factors, including door sizes, hoists, and equipment.
The options for women veterans to access mental health providers and primary care providers who are women.
The options for women veterans at medical facilities of the Department with respect to clothing sizes, including for gowns, drawstring pants, and pajamas.
Definitions.— In this section:
The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate; and
the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives.
The term “gender-specific services” means mammography, obstetric care, gynecological care, and such other services as the Secretary determines appropriate.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
(Added Pub. L. 116–315, title V, § 5101(b)(1), Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5024.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
References to Health Care and Services
For references to health care and services in this section as references to health care and services included in medical benefits package provided by the Department as in effect on the day before Jan. 5, 2021, see Pub. L. 116–315, title V, § 5101(b)(2), Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5026, set out as a note under section 7310 of this title.
Initial Report
Pub. L. 116–315, title V, § 5101(c), Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5026, provided that: “The Chief Officer of Women’s Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit the initial report under section 7310A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (b), by not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 5, 2021].”