Bill Summary
This bill, titled the "Electronic Medical Records for Foreign Service Personnel Act of 2024," requires the Department of State to implement an electronic medical records system for all Foreign Service personnel by December 31, 2027. It also highlights the importance of this system for the safety and well-being of diplomats, especially in remote and challenging locations. The bill requires the Secretary of State to provide regular progress reports to Congress and defines the appropriate congressional committees as the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Appropriations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation could affect Foreign Service personnel by requiring them to use electronic medical records instead of paper records. This may require them to learn new systems and technologies in order to access their medical information, which could be a challenge for some individuals.
2. The legislation may also affect the privacy of Foreign Service personnel, as the electronic medical records system would need to have appropriate safeguards to protect their personal information. This could potentially lead to concerns about the security and confidentiality of their medical records.
3. The implementation of the electronic medical records system could also have financial implications for both the Department of State and Foreign Service personnel. The Department may need to allocate funds to cover the costs of implementing the system, and Foreign Service personnel may need to cover any additional expenses related to accessing and managing their medical records.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3809 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3809
To require electronic medical records at the Department of State for
Foreign Service personnel.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 27, 2024
Mr. Risch introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require electronic medical records at the Department of State for
Foreign Service personnel.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Electronic Medical Records for
Foreign Service Personnel Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Foreign Service personnel at the Department of State
often serve with distinction in austere places and under
challenging conditions around the world with limited healthcare
availability;
(2) the Department's exclusive use of paper medical
records, which require Foreign Service personnel to carry their
protected health information from post to post, puts our
diplomats in danger by limiting the availability of their
health information to Department medical personnel during
critical health incidents;
(3) electronic medical records are necessary, particularly
as the Department opens new embassies in the South Pacific,
thousands of miles from the nearest Department medical officer,
who may not have access to up-to-date personnel medical files;
(4) the lack of electronic medical records is even more
important for mental health records, as the Department only has
a small number of regional medical officer psychiatrists and
relies heavily on telehealth for most Foreign Service
personnel; and
(5) due to the critical need for electronic medical
records, it is imperative that the Department address the
situation quickly and focus on commercially available solutions
from contractors who have a track record of successfully
implementing large-scale projects of this type.
SEC. 3. ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS REQUIREMENT.
Not later than December 31, 2027, the Secretary of State shall have
fully implemented an electronic medical records system for all Foreign
Service personnel that eliminates reliance on paper medical records and
includes appropriate safeguards to protect personal privacy.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of
State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
on the progress made towards meeting the requirement under section 3.
(b) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
include the following elements:
(1) An updated timeline for implementation.
(2) An estimated completion date.
(3) The amounts expended to date on the required electronic
medical records system.
(4) The estimated amount needed to complete the system.
(c) Termination of Requirement.--The reporting requirement under
subsection (a) shall cease upon notification to the appropriate
congressional committees that electronic medical records have been
completely implemented for all Foreign Service personnel.
(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
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