Whitfield Joins Colleagues to Introduce Veterans' Health Care Quality Improvement Act | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Joins Colleagues to Introduce Veterans' Health Care Quality Improvement Act February 3, 2009 WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) helped introduce legislation which would improve the quality of care the nation's more than 24 million veterans receive in Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) medical facilities across the country.

"The care of our nation's veterans has always been, and continues to be, one of my top priorities in Congress," Whitfield said. "It is essential that we ensure our nation's heroes receive the best medical care possible. This important legislation will not only help make certain that quality service is being provided to our veterans, but it will help attract some of the best and brightest medical professionals in the country to work at VA facilities."

Whitfield joined Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL), Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL) and Congressman Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) to introduce, H.R. 568, the Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act. The bill would improve the hiring process for physicians and implement other quality controls at Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) medical facilities.

The bill mandates that doctors applying for VA positions disclose all previous medical malpractice allegations, disciplinary actions and payments. In addition, the VA would appoint a "National Quality Assurance Officer" to carry out the quality assurance program nationally. Officers would be appointed at all VA medical facilities nation-wide to monitor the provision of care. The legislation also makes loan repayment, tuition reimbursement and other incentives available to recruit doctors for hard to fill positions.

Whitfield and his fellow lawmakers introduced similar legislation in the 110th Congress after an increase in reports of substandard care at the VA Medical Center in Marion, Illinois, which provides service to numerous veterans in the First Congressional District. The legislators plan to continue their efforts this year to see final passage of this important measure to improve care for the nation's veterans.

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