Sec. 730. Program to eliminate variability in health outcomes and improve quality of health care services delivered in military treatment facilities
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Beginning not later than January 1, 2018, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a program— to establish best practices for the delivery of health care services for certain diseases or conditions at military treatment facilities; to incorporate those best practices into the daily operations of military treatment facilities selected by the Secretary for purposes of the program, with priority in selection given to military treatment facilities that are or will be established as regional centers of excellence for the provision of military specialty care under section 729; and to eliminate variability in health outcomes and to improve the quality of health care services delivered at military treatment facilities selected by the Secretary for purposes of the program.
The Secretary shall carry out the program in phases as follows: During phase 1 of the program, the Secretary shall conduct a baseline assessment of health care delivery and outcomes at military treatment facilities— to evaluate and determine evidence-based best practices, within the direct care component of the military health system and the private sector, for treating not fewer than three diseases or conditions identified by the Secretary for purposes of the program; and to select not more than five military treatment facilities to participate as test sites under the program by incorporating the evidence-based best practices determined under subparagraph
(A)into the treatment at those facilities of the diseases or conditions identified under such subparagraph. The Secretary shall initiate phase 1 of the program not later than January 1, 2018, and complete such phase not later than July 1, 2018. During phase 2 of the program, the Secretary shall— incorporate the evidence-based best practices determined under paragraph (1)(A)(i) for the treatment of diseases or conditions identified under such paragraph into the treatment for those diseases or conditions at all military treatment facilities that provide treatment for those diseases or conditions; and at the military treatment facilities selected as test sites under paragraph (1)(A)(ii), evaluate and determine evidence-based best practices for treating not more than 12 additional diseases or conditions identified by the Secretary for purposes of the program. The Secretary shall initiate phase 2 of the program immediately following the completion of phase 1 under paragraph
(1)and complete phase 2 not later than 180 days after initiating phase 2. During phase 3 of the program, the Secretary shall incorporate the evidence-based best practices determined under paragraph (2)(A)(ii) for the treatment of the additional diseases or conditions identified under such paragraph into treatment for those diseases or conditions at all military treatment facilities that provide treatment for those diseases or conditions. The Secretary shall initiate phase 3 of the program immediately following the completion of phase 2 under paragraph
(2)and complete phase 3 not later than 180 days after initiating phase 3. During the period in which the program is being carried out, the Secretary shall continuously monitor and adjust the health care services delivered at military treatment facilities and the number of patients enrolled at military treatment facilities— to ensure a high degree of safety and quality in the provision of health care at those facilities; and to ensure that those facilities provide only the health care services that are critical for maintaining operational medical force readiness and the medical readiness of the Armed Forces.