§7310A Annual Reports on Women’s Health

Summary

The Chief Officer of Women’s Health must send a written report to the right congressional committees by December 1 each year. The report must say what the Office of Women’s Health did in the past year to improve care for women veterans, list any problems found and the Department’s plans to fix them, describe the Office’s funding and staff and whether more are needed, and include any other oversight information Congress would find useful. The report must analyze how women veterans can get gender-specific care through non-Department providers under contracts or agreements, including average wait times from the veteran’s preferred date to the actual appointment, average driving time to appointments, and why some appointments could not be scheduled. The report must review the Department’s care models for women (general clinics, separate/shared spaces, and women’s health centers), including how many facilities use each model by Veterans Integrated Service Network and State, how the Department chooses models and decides on investments or changes, and whether facilities could be changed under current capital planning. The report must give staffing numbers by VISN and State for women’s health centers, care teams, full- and part-time gynecologists, designated women’s health providers (by facility), recent mini-residency trainees and upcoming slots, and how many providers have enough women patients to keep skills. The report must cover accessibility and treatment options, including wheelchair access at women’s health centers (for services like radiology and mammography), availability of women mental health and primary care providers, and clothing size options (gowns, drawstring pants, pajamas). “Appropriate congressional committees”: the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations and on Veterans’ Affairs. “Gender-specific services”: mammography, obstetric care, gynecological care, and other services the Secretary adds.