2005 -- S 0559

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LC01500

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2005

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A N A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- TRAUMA CENTERS

     Introduced By: Senator Leo R. Blais

     Date Introduced: February 10, 2005

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 23-4.1-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-4.1 entitled

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"Emergency Medical Transportation Services" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-4.1-15. Trauma systems. [Effective January 7, 2003] – (a)There is established

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within the department of health a trauma system advisory committee. The committee, appointed

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by the director, shall include representatives of the following groups: consumers, third-party

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payers, emergency medical technicians, hospitals, physicians, nurses, the Hospital Association of

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Rhode Island, the department of health, the ambulance service advisory board, emergency

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medical service providers, and the Rhode Island Medical Society. Each nonprofit hospital with an

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emergency medical service shall have a representative appointed by its president. In addition,

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there shall be two (2) members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker, one of

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whom shall be a member of the minority party, and two (2) members of the senate appointed by

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the president of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party. Subject to the

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limitations of existing data and other resources, the committee shall undertake a thorough

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examination of all aspects of the state's trauma system, including:

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      (1) A review of the current utilization of trauma services for each acute care hospital;

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      (2) A review of each hospital's trauma patient mix and mortality and morbidity rates for

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classes of patients;

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      (3) Hospital staffing patterns and likely future needs;

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      (4) The current financing of trauma care including the issue of uncompensated care and

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an examination of additional costs for system enhancement; and

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      (5) Pre-hospital care protocols and emergency medical services' capabilities and

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integration needs; and

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     (6) Development of recommendations to the director regarding the structure, provisions,

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and ongoing administration of an integrated, statewide trauma system plan and trauma system

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regulations, to include:

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     (I). Standards for the designation of trauma centers to operate at one of several discrete

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and well-defined levels of trauma service capability.

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     (II). Provisions for design and monitoring of statewide trauma system operations,

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including the processes by which hospitals voluntarily applying for designation are verified and

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designated and ongoing quality assurance activities are carried out.

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     (b) The director of health shall establish standards for both initial designation and

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periodic re-designation of hospitals applying to operate as trauma centers at one of several

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discrete and well-defined levels of trauma service capability. The director shall also promulgate

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rules and regulations to insure compliance with the following provisions:

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     (1) To require appropriate verification that any hospital applying for trauma center

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designation meets applicable designation standards;

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     (2) To issue certificates of trauma center designation to any hospitals that are

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appropriately verified as meeting applicable designation standards; and

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     (3) To establish a trauma registry and require that all designated trauma centers

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participate in the trauma registry as a condition of designation.

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     (c) All quality management proceedings and records shall be confidential and privileged

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and shall be protected from direct or indirect means of discovery, subpoena, or admission into

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evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding.

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     (d) All studies, reports, and minutes shall include only the patient trauma registry number

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with all other identifying information encoded or kept in locked files. Access by qualified

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researchers may be granted based on state and federal statutes. No data from the trauma registry

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or trauma quality management proceedings that is indicative of the quality of patient care or of

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patient outcomes in individual facilities shall be released publicly without the advice and consent

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of the Trauma System Advisory Committee.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2006.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- TRAUMA CENTERS

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     This act would established authority for the director of health to designate trauma centers.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01500

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