Chapter

Chapter 485

2004 -- H 8192 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED

Enacted 07/07/04

A N A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STROKE TASK FORCE

Introduced By: Representatives Naughton, Crowley, Giannini, Carter, and Petrarca

Date Introduced: February 26, 2004

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 23-77

THE STROKE TASK FORCE

23-77-1. Rhode Island Comprehensive Stroke Prevention and Treatment Act of

2004. – Purpose and declarations. – (a) The Rhode Island general assembly hereby finds,

determines, and declares that stroke is a leading cause of death and permanent, long-term

disability in Rhode Island and that currently available prevention and treatment strategies could

reduce the number of deaths and disabilities caused by strokes.

(b) The Rhode Island general assembly further finds that the establishment of a stroke

task force will ensure that state-of-the-art information on stroke education, prevention, and

treatment is available to healthcare providers and patients. This task force will serve as a

consensus group designed to coordinate efforts in stroke treatment and prevention, including

bringing additional monies to the state to fund improvements.

23-77-2. Stroke task force -- Membership. – (a) The director of the department of

health, with consent of the president of the senate and the speaker of the house, may appoint a

stroke task force to serve as a statewide commission designed to coordinate efforts in stroke

treatment and prevention. The director may assign staff, upon availability of funds, to assist the

task force. Members appointed to the task force may include:

(1) Four (4) physicians actively involved in stroke care, with at least one (1) from each of

the following fields:

(i) Neurology;

(ii) Neuroradiology;

(iii) Neurosurgery; and

(iv) Emergency care;

(2) One (1) registered professional nurse or nurse practitioner actively involved in stroke

care;

(3) One (1) physician’s assistant actively involved in stroke care;

(4) One (1) hospital administrator or designee from each hospital that is designated as a

Comprehensive Stroke Treatment Center by the National Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations;

(5) One (1) representative from the EMS Ambulance Service Advisory Board;

(6) One (1) representative from the public health field actively involved in public health

education on stroke appointed by the director;

(7) One (1) representative from a stroke rehabilitation facility appointed by the director;

(8) One (1) stroke survivor or caregiver appointed by the director;

(9) One (1) representative from the American Stroke Association;

(10) One (1) representative from Rhode Island Quality Partners or state-recognized

Quality Improvement Organization (QIO); and

(11) One (1) representative from a minority health organization involved in stroke care.

(b) The task force shall advise the Rhode Island general assembly, the governor, and

director of the department of health and have the following duties:

(1) Undertake a statistical and qualitative examination of the incidence and causes of

stroke deaths and risks, including identification of sub-populations at highest risk for developing

stroke and develop a profile of the social and economic burden of stroke in Rhode Island;

(2) Receive and consider reports and testimony from individuals, state department of

health, community-based organizations, voluntary health organizations, healthcare providers, and

other public and private organizations statewide and of national significance to stroke to learn

more about their contributions to stroke prevention and treatment and their ideas for the

improvement of stroke care in Rhode Island;

(3) Develop methods to publicize the profile of stroke burden and its preventability in

Rhode Island;

(4) Identify research-based strategies that are effective in preventing and controlling risks

for stroke based on the science available from the American Stroke Association and related

organizations;

(5) Determine the burden that delayed or inappropriate treatment has on the quality of

patients’ lives and the associated financial burden on them and the state;

(6) Study the economic impact of early stroke treatment with regard to quality of care,

reimbursement issues, and rehabilitation;

(7) Research and determine what constitutes high quality for stroke and take action to

ensure that the public and healthcare providers are sufficiently informed of the most effective

strategies for stroke care;

(8) Evaluate the current system of treatment and develop recommendations to improve all

aspects of the stroke chain of survival;

(9) Research and determine the most appropriate method to collect data which shall

include a record of the cases of stroke that occur in Rhode Island and such information

concerning the cases as it shall deem necessary and appropriate in order to conduct thorough and

complete epidemiological surveys of stroke and to apply appropriate preventative and control

measures;

(10) Identify best practices on stroke care in other states and at the federal level that will

improve stroke care in Rhode Island, including the feasibility and proposed structure of

developing a stroke network;

(11) Research and obtain any public or private funding available to improve stroke

prevention and/or treatment in Rhode Island;

(12) Complete and maintain a statewide comprehensive stroke prevention and treatment

plan to the general public, state and local officials, various public and private organizations and

associations, business and industries, agencies, potential funders, and other community resources;

(13) Develop a registry of all Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Strokes that occur within the

state to determine genetic and environmental contributors to strokes; and

(14) Identify and facilitate specific commitments to help implement the plan and all task

force activities.

shall submit a preliminary report to the department, general assembly and the governor within

one (1) year of the first meeting, within two (2) years of the first meeting, and a final report

within three (3) years of the first meeting. The reports shall address the plans, actions, and

resources needed to achieve its goals and progress in achieving implementation of the plan to

reduce the occurrence of and burden from stroke in Rhode Island. The reports shall include an

accounting of funds expended, funds received from grants, and anticipated funding needs and

related cost savings for full implementation of recommended plans and programs. The task force

will continue to submit reports annually thereafter on their progress toward the implementation of

the state plan.

(d) Any health care information requested or obtained by the task force pursuant to

subsections (b)(9),(b)(13), or otherwise in the performance of its duties, shall be provided in a

format that does not contain individually-identifiable information.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

=======

LC02589/SUB A

=======