Chapter 539

2006 -- S 2210

Enacted 07/10/06

A N A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HEALTH CARE QUALITY PROGRAM

Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Lanzi, P Fogarty, Walaska, and Ciccone

Date Introduced: January 31, 2006

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-17.17-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-17.17 entitled

"Health Care Quality Program" is hereby amended to read as follows:

23-17.17-6. Health care quality steering committee. -- (a) The director shall establish

and serve as chairperson of a health care quality steering committee of no more than nineteen (19)

members to advise in the following matters:

      (1) Determination of the comparable performance measures to be reported on;

      (2) Assessment of factors, including, but not limited to, factors related to incidents and

events reported to the department pursuant to section 23-17-40, contributing to the provision of

quality health care and patient safety;

      (3) Selection of the patient satisfaction survey measures and instrument;

      (4) Methods and format for data collection;

      (5) Program expansion and quality improvement initiatives;

      (6) Format for the public quality performance measurement report;

      (7) Consideration of nursing-sensitive performance measures to be reported on;

      (8) Consideration of the relationship between human resources and quality, beginning

with measurement and reporting for nursing staff; and

(9) Consideration of measures associated with hospital-acquired infections with

consultation of infections control experts; and

(9)(10) Other related issues as requested by the director.

      (b) The members of the health care quality performance steering committee shall include

one member of the house of representatives, to be appointed by the speaker; one member of the

senate, to be appointed by the president of the senate; the director or director's designee of the

department of human services; the director or the director's designee of the department of mental

health, retardation, and hospitals; the director or the director's designee of the department of

elderly affairs; and thirteen (13) members to be appointed by the director of the department of

health to include persons representing Rhode Island licensed hospitals and other licensed

facilities/providers, the medical and nursing professions, the business community, organized

labor, consumers, and health insurers and health plans and other parties committed to health care

quality.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00719

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