{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-bill-unburden-va-doctors-and-improve-care-oregon-veterans-passes", "Walden bill to unburden VA doctors and improve care for Oregon veterans passes House", "2017-07-24", "2017", "2017-07", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Greg Walden", "W000791", "walden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Walden bill to unburden VA doctors and improve care for Oregon veterans passes House \n Legislation co-authored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) would introduce medical scribes into VA system to help process paperwork \nClick here or on the image above to view Walden\u2019s remarks\u00a0\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u00a0The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a plan co-authored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to improve the care Oregon\u2019s veterans receive at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Walden worked with House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman, Dr. Phil Roe, to introduce the VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act of 2017. Walden\u2019s legislation would implement a pilot program for medical scribes at VA facilities, which will help unburden VA doctors and allow them to see more patients.\n\u201cGood news for Oregon veterans: the House passed legislation I co-authored with Chairman of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, Dr. Phil Roe, that will allow veterans\u2019 doctors to do what they do best -- spend more time taking care of veterans,\u201d said Walden. \u201cThis legislation sets up a pilot program to try something that has worked successfully in the private sector -- having scribes work side-by-side with doctors, so that doctors can focus on the patient and scribes can focus on the paperwork.\u201d\nMedical scribes help relieve physicians of administrative burdens such as paperwork and record keeping, which helps doctors focus their attention on caring for patients. Studies have shown that the use of medical scribes in the private sector resulted in a 59% increase in the number of patients physicians see per hour.\nWalden has heard from officials at both the White City and Bend VA facilities, and veterans themselves, that implementing a scribes program will help improve the care Oregon veterans receive. Walden\u2019s legislation will also help retain quality VA doctors, and recruit new physicians into the VA process.\u00a0\nCharles Schmidt, Oregon\u2019s first National Commander of The American Legion, said of Walden\u2019s legislation, \u201cthe VA Medical Scribes Pilot Act of 2017 would greatly assist VA doctors in the course of their duties by providing medical scribes to alleviate their administrative burden.\u00a0 This would enable VA doctors to see more veterans per day and spend more time with each patient.\u00a0 Providing doctors medical scribes would help the VA improve the work environment, reduce physician burnout, and recruit and retain quality physicians.\"\nThe VA Medical Scribe Pilot Act of 2017 passed the House on a bipartisan vote and now awaits action in the Senate. To read more about Walden\u2019s legislation, please click here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-bill-unburden-va-doctors-and-improve-care-oregon-veterans-passes"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7447199895977974, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}