§ 295k. Health professions data

(a) In general

The Secretary shall establish a program, including a uniform health professions data reporting system, to collect, compile, and analyze data on health professions personnel which program shall initially include data respecting all physicians and dentists in the States. The Secretary is authorized to expand the program to include, whenever he determines it necessary, the collection, compilation, and analysis of data respecting pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists, veterinarians, public health personnel, audiologists, speech pathologists, health care administration personnel, nurses, allied health personnel, medical technologists, chiropractors, clinical psychologists, professional counselors, and any other health personnel in States designated by the Secretary to be included in the program. Such data shall include data respecting the training, licensure status (including permanent, temporary, partial, limited, or institutional), place or places of practice, professional specialty, practice characteristics, place and date of birth, sex, and socioeconomic background of health professions personnel and such other demographic information regarding health professions personnel as the Secretary may require.

(b) Certain authorities and requirements

(1) Sources of information

In carrying out subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall collect available information from appropriate local, State, and Federal agencies and other appropriate sources.

(2) Contracts for studies of health professions

The Secretary shall conduct or enter into contracts for the conduct of analytic and descriptive studies of the health professions, including evaluations and projections of the supply of, and requirements for, the health professions by specialty and geographic location. Such studies shall include studies determining by specialty and geographic location the number of health professionals (including allied health professionals and health care administration personnel) who are members of minority groups, including Hispanics, and studies providing by specialty and geographic location evaluations and projections of the supply of, and requirements for, health professionals (including allied health professionals and health care administration personnel) to serve minority groups, including Hispanics.

(3) Grants and contracts regarding States The Secretary is authorized to make grants and to enter into contracts with States (or an appropriate nonprofit private entity in any State) for the purpose of participating in the program established under subsection (a) of this section. The Secretary shall determine the amount and scope of any such grant or contract. To be eligible for a grant or contract under this paragraph a State or entity shall submit an application in such form and manner and containing such information as the Secretary shall require. Such application shall include reasonable assurance, satisfactory to the Secretary, that—

(A) such State (or nonprofit entity within a State) will establish a program of mandatory annual registration of the health professions personnel described in subsection (a) of this section who reside or practice in such State and of health institutions licensed by such State, which registration shall include such information as the Secretary shall determine to be appropriate;

(B) such State or entity shall collect such information and report it to the Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary shall prescribe; and

(C) such State or entity shall comply with the requirements of subsection (e) of this section.

(d) Technical assistance

The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to the States and political subdivisions thereof in the development of systems (including model laws) concerning confidentiality and comparability of data collected pursuant to this section.

(h) Grants and contracts regarding nonprofit entities

(1) In general

In carrying out subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary may make grants, or enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, and provide technical assistance to, any nonprofit entity in order to establish a uniform allied health professions data reporting system to collect, compile, and analyze data on the allied health professions personnel.

(2) Reports

With respect to reports required in subsection (d) of this section, each such report made on or after October 1, 1991, shall include a description and analysis of data collected pursuant to paragraph (1).

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 792, as added Pub. L. 102–408, title I, § 102, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2058; amended Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 106(b), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3559.)

Prior Provisions

Prior Provisions

A prior section 792 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 295h–1b of this title prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–408.

Another prior section 792 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 295h–1 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–35.

Amendments

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–392 inserted “professional counselors,” after “clinical psychologists,”.

Miscellaneous

Study Regarding Shortages of Licensed Pharmacists

Pub. L. 106–129, § 5, Dec. 6, 1999, 113 Stat. 1675, provided that:

“(a)In General.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’), acting through the appropriate agencies of the Public Health Service, shall conduct a study to determine whether and to what extent there is a shortage of licensed pharmacists. In carrying out the study, the Secretary shall seek the comments of appropriate public and private entities regarding any such shortage.

“(b)Report to Congress.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 6, 1999], the Secretary shall complete the study under subsection (a) and submit to the Congress a report that describes the findings made through the study and that contains a summary of the comments received by the Secretary pursuant to such subsection.”

Advisory Council on Graduate Medical Education

Pub. L. 102–408, title III, § 301, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2080, as amended by Pub. L. 102–531, title III, § 313(b), Oct. 27, 1992, 106 Stat. 3507; Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 104(b)(1)–(3), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3552, which was formerly set out as a note under this section, was renumbered section 762 of the Public Health Service Act by Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 104(b)(4)–(6), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3553, and is classified to section 294o of this title.

Commission on Allied Health

Pub. L. 102–408, title III, § 302, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2082, provided for establishment of a National Commission on Allied Health, charged with (1) making recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Congress with respect to nationwide supply and distribution of allied health personnel, current and future shortages of personnel, priority research needs within allied health professions, Federal policies relating to personnel and research as well as undergraduate and graduate financing, concerted efforts on part of allied health facilities and educational institutions to address such matters, and needs with respect to nationwide data bases concerning supply and distribution of allied health personnel, and (2) encouraging entities providing allied health education to voluntarily achieve recommendations of Commission, and further provided for composition of Commission, date certain for appointments to Commission, resources for Commission activities, an interim progress report due not later than Oct. 1, 1993, a final report due not later than Apr. 1, 1994, and termination of Commission 60 days after submission of final report.

Study Regarding Shortage of Clinical Laboratory Technologists for Medically Underserved and Rural Communities

Pub. L. 102–408, title III, § 303, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2083, directed Secretary of Health and Human Services, with respect to the shortage of clinical laboratory technologists, to conduct a study for the purpose of determining whether there are special or unique factors affecting the supply of clinical laboratory technologists in medically underserved and rural communities, and assessing alternative routes for certification of the competence of individuals to serve as such technologists, with consideration of the role of entities providing such certifications, and, not later than Oct. 1, 1993, complete the study and submit to Committee on Energy and Commerce of House of Representatives, and to Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate, a report describing the findings made as result of the study.

National Advisory Council on Medical Licensure

Pub. L. 102–408, title III, § 307, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2086, directed Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish National Advisory Council on Medical Licensure to advise Secretary on American Medical Association’s system of verifying and maintaining information regarding qualifications of individuals to practice medicine, as well as advice regarding establishment and operation of any similar system, provided for activities of Council, including review of private credentials verification system and recommendations on how it could be improved, as well as review of State procedures for licensing individuals licensed in other States and procedures for licensing international medical graduates, provided for composition of Council and appointment of members, required submission of an interim report to Congress not later than Sept. 30, 1993, and a final report with recommendations not later than Sept. 30, 1995, provided for termination of Council not later than Sept. 30, 1995, or upon submission of final report, whichever is earlier, and further directed Secretary, in cooperation with Council to submit to Congress, not later than Sept. 30, 1994, study of not less than 10 States for purposes of determining average time required for States to process licensure applications of domestic and international medical graduates as well as percentages of domestic and international licensure applications approved.