MARION - New legislation penned by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, is intended to make recruiting better doctors and other medical personnel to Veterans Affairs hospitals, such as VA Medical Center in Marion, easier.

Durbin's plan, which comes on the heels of meetings with both VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and officials at the Marion VA last week, would establish a pilot program within the department that offers incentives to professionals willing to come to VA centers in rural and under-served areas of the country.

Funding for the program would cost $3 million, half for attracting quality medical staff and half for attracting administrators.

The legislation is an amendment to the 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill and was approved by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday night.

Durbin was among several officials to visit the Marion VA last week in the wake of a new report by the VA inspector general's office that showed the facility was still at the bottom in quality management two years after major surgeries at the hospital were suspended because of patient deaths due to poor surgical care. The report said the Marion VA continues to suffer in areas like program oversight and patient safety procedures.

Despite its problems, Durbin said workers at the facility care about their performance.

"Many are former service members themselves, or come from military families. The care and well-being of our nation's veterans is of paramount importance to them," Durbin said. "However, the staff vacancy rate at Marion - over 15 percent - makes it difficult for the hospital to provide a full range of medical services."

The bill will now move to the conference committee in the Senate.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com / 618-351-5090