PATIENT PRIVACY FOR WOMEN PATIENTS.

SEC. 322. PATIENT PRIVACY FOR WOMEN PATIENTS. (a) Identification of Deficiencies.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a survey of each medical center under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to identify deficiencies relating to patient privacy afforded to women patients in the clinical areas at each such center which may interfere with appropriate treatment of such patients. (b) Correction of Deficiencies.—The Secretary shall ensure that plans and, where appropriate, interim steps to correct the deficiencies identified in the survey conducted under subsection (a) are developed and are incorporated into the Department’s construction planning processes and, in cases in which it is cost-effective to do so, are given a high priority. (c) Reports to Congress—The Secretary shall compile an annual inventory, by medical center, of deficiencies identified under subsection (a) and of plans and, where appropriate, interim steps, to correct such deficiencies. The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives, not later than October 1, 1997, and not later than October 1 each year thereafter through 1999 a report on such deficiencies. The Secretary shall include in such report the inventory compiled by the Secretary, the proposed corrective plans, and the status of such plans.