CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHABILITATION OF HEARING LOSS AND AUDITORY SYSTEM INJURIES.

SEC. 721. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHABILITATION OF HEARING LOSS AND AUDITORY SYSTEM INJURIES.(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish within the Department of Defense a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of hearing loss and auditory system injury to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c).(b) Partnerships.—The Secretary shall ensure that the center collaborates to the maximum extent practicable with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities (including international entities) to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c).(c) Responsibilities.—(1) In general.—The center shall—(A) implement a comprehensive plan and strategy for the Department of Defense, as developed by the Secretary of Defense, for a registry of information for the tracking of the diagnosis, surgical intervention or other operative procedure, other treatment, and follow up for each case of hearing loss and auditory system injury incurred by a member of the Armed Forces while serving on active duty;(B) ensure the electronic exchange with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of information obtained through tracking under subparagraph (A); and(C) enable the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to access the registry and add information pertaining to additional treatments or surgical procedures and eventual hearing outcomes for veterans who were entered into the registry and subsequently received treatment through the Veterans Health Administration.(2) Designation of registry.—The registry under this subsection shall be known as the “Hearing Loss and Auditory System Injury Registry” (hereinafter referred to as the “Registry”).122 STAT. 4507(3) Consultation in development.—The center shall develop the Registry in consultation with audiologists, speech and language pathologists, otolaryngologists, and other specialist personnel of the Department of Defense and the audiologists, speech and language pathologists, otolaryngologists, and other specialist personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The mechanisms and procedures of the Registry shall reflect applicable expert research on military and other hearing loss.(4) Mechanisms.—The mechanisms of the Registry for tracking under paragraph (1)(A) shall ensure that each military medical treatment facility or other medical facility shall submit to the center for inclusion in the Registry information on the diagnosis, surgical intervention or other operative procedure, other treatment, and follow up for each case of hearing loss and auditory system injury described in that paragraph as follows (to the extent applicable):(A) Not later than 30 days after surgery or other operative intervention, including a surgery or other operative intervention carried out as a result of a follow-up examination.(B) Not later than 180 days after the hearing loss and auditory system injury is reported or recorded in the medical record.(5) Coordination of care and benefits.—(A) The center shall provide notice to the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to the auditory system impairment services of the Veterans Health Administration on each member of the Armed Forces described in subparagraph (B) for purposes of ensuring the coordination of the provision of ongoing auditory system rehabilitation benefits and services by the Department of Veterans Affairs after the separation or release of such member from the Armed Forces.(B) A member of the Armed Forces described in this subparagraph is a member of the Armed Forces with significant hearing loss or auditory system injury incurred while serving on active duty, including a member with auditory dysfunction related to traumatic brain injury.(d) Utilization of Registry Information.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly ensure that information in the Registry is available to appropriate audiologists, speech and language pathologists, otolaryngologists, and other specialist personnel of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs for purposes of encouraging and facilitating the conduct of research, and the development of best practices and clinical education, on hearing loss or auditory system injury incurred by members of the Armed Forces.(e) Inclusion of Records of OIF/OEF Veterans.—The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate actions to include in the Registry such records of members of the Armed Forces who incurred a hearing loss or auditory system injury while serving on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, but before the establishment of the Registry, as the Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of the Registry.122 STAT. 4508