NOTE: The governor signed this measure on 5/24/2013. SENATE BILL 13-225 BY SENATOR(S) Giron, Guzman, Aguilar, Newell, Nicholson, Carroll, Heath, Kefalas, Todd, Morse; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Ginal and Primavera, Schafer, Fields, Garcia, Hamner, Hullinghorst, Kraft-Tharp, Labuda, Rosenthal, Ryden, Vigil, Young. Concerning the development of a system to improve quality of care to patients suffering specified acute incidents, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25-3-114, 25-3-115, and 25-3-116 as follows: 25-3-114. STEMI task force - creation - membership - duties - report - repeal. (1) (a) There is hereby created in the department the STEMI task force. No later than August 1, 2013, the governor shall appoint fifteen members to the task force as follows: (I) One member who is a Colorado resident representing a national association whose goal is to eliminate cardiovascular disease and stroke; (II) One member who is a cardiologist practicing in this state; (III) One member who is an interventional cardiologist practicing in the western slope area of the state; (IV) One member who is an interventional cardiologist practicing in the front range area of the state; (V) One member representing a statewide association of cardiologists; (VI) One member representing a statewide association of physicians; (VII) One member representing a statewide hospital association; (VIII) One member representing an emergency physicians association; (IX) One member who is an emergency medical service provider, as defined in section 25-3.5-103 (8); (X) One member who is a registered nurse involved in cardiac care; (XI) One hospital administrator from a hospital located in a rural area of the state; (XII) One hospital administrator from a hospital located in an urban area of the state; (XIII) One member of the public who has suffered a STEMI heart attack; and (XIV) Two members with expertise in cardiovascular data registries, one of whom is a cardiologist. (b) The executive director of the department or the executive director's designee shall serve as an ex officio member of the task force. (c) Members of the task force serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred in serving on or performing duties of the task force. (2) (a) The task force shall study and make recommendations for developing a statewide plan to improve quality of care to STEMI patients. In conducting the study, the task force shall explore the following issues, without limitation: (I) Creation of a state database or registry consisting of data on STEMI care that mirrors the data hospitals submit to nationally recognized organizations; (II) Access to aggregated STEMI data, which must exclude any identifying or confidential information about the reporting hospital or patients treated by the hospital, from a state database that may be developed or from a nationally recognized organization; (III) A plan that would encourage rural and urban hospitals to coordinate services for the necessary referral or receipt of patients requiring STEMI care in the state; and (IV) The criteria used by nationally recognized bodies for designating a hospital in STEMI care and whether a designation is appropriate or needed to assure access to the best quality care for Colorado residents with STEMI events. (b) By January 31, 2014, the task force shall submit an initial report, and by July 31, 2015, the task force shall submit its final report, specifying its findings and recommendations to the health and human services committee of the senate, the health, insurance, and environment committee of the house of representatives, or their successor committees, and the department. The task force shall include in its reports a recommendation on whether a designation of a hospital in STEMI care is appropriate or needed to assure access to the best quality care for Colorado residents with STEMI events. (3) The department may accept and expend, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, gifts, grants, and donations to pay the direct expenses of the department in assisting and staffing the task force. The department shall transmit any monetary gifts, grants, or donations it receives to the state treasurer for deposit in the health facilities general licensure cash fund, and those moneys may be used only to pay the direct expenses of the department. (4) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "Department" means the department of public health and environment. (b) "STEMI" means ST-elevation myocardial infarction. (5) This section is repealed, effective August 1, 2015. 25-3-115. Stroke advisory board - creation - membership - duties - report - repeal. (1) (a) There is hereby created in the department the stroke advisory board, the purpose of which is to evaluate potential strategies for stroke prevention and treatment and develop a statewide needs assessment identifying relevant resources. No later than August 1, 2013, the governor shall appoint eighteen members to the stroke advisory board as follows: (I) Six physicians who are actively involved in stroke care and who satisfy the following criteria: One physician who is board-certified in primary care; one physician who is board-certified in vascular neurology; one physician who is privileged and actively practicing interventional neuroradiology; one physician who is board-certified in neurosurgery; one physician representing a statewide chapter of emergency physicians; and one physician who is a board-certified neurologist serving patients in a rural area of the state; (II) One member representing a statewide association of physicians; (III) One member representing a statewide hospital association; (IV) One member who is an emergency medical service provider, as defined in section 25-3.5-103 (8); (V) One member who is a registered nurse involved in stroke care; (VI) One hospital administrator from a hospital located in a rural area of the state; (VII) One hospital administrator from a hospital located in an urban area of the state; (VIII) One representative from a stroke rehabilitation facility; (IX) One member who is a Colorado resident representing a national association whose goal is to eliminate cardiovascular disease and stroke; (X) One member who is a Colorado resident representing a national stroke association; (XI) One member who is a physical or occupational therapist actively involved in stroke care; (XII) One member of the public who has suffered a stroke or is the caregiver of a person who has suffered a stroke; and (XIII) One member who is an expert in stroke database management. (b) The executive director of the department or the executive director's designee shall serve as an ex officio member of the stroke advisory board. (c) Members of the stroke advisory board serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred in serving on or performing duties of the advisory board. (2) (a) The stroke advisory board shall study and make recommendations for developing a statewide plan to improve quality of care for stroke patients. In conducting the study, the stroke advisory board shall explore the following issues, without limitation: (I) Creation of a state database or registry consisting of data on stroke care that mirrors the data hospitals submit to nationally recognized organizations; (II) Access to aggregated stroke data, which must exclude any identifying or confidential information about the reporting hospital or patients treated by the hospital, from a state database that may be developed or from a nationally recognized organization by the advisory board, by any person who submits a written request for the data; (III) Evaluation of currently available stroke treatments and the development of recommendations, based on medical evidence, for ways to improve stroke prevention and treatment; (IV) A plan that would encourage rural and urban hospitals to coordinate services for the necessary referral or receipt of patients requiring stroke care in the state; and (V) The criteria used by nationally recognized bodies for designating a hospital in stroke care and whether a designation is appropriate or needed to assure access to the best quality care for Colorado residents with stroke events. (b) By January 31, 2014, and by each January 1 thereafter, the stroke advisory board shall submit a report specifying its findings and recommendations to the health and human services committee of the senate, the health, insurance, and environment committee of the house of representatives, or their successor committees, and the department. The stroke advisory board shall include in its report a recommendation on whether a designation of a hospital in stroke care is appropriate or needed to assure access to the best quality care for Colorado residents with stroke events. (3) The department may accept and expend, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, gifts, grants, and donations to pay the direct expenses of the department in assisting and staffing the stroke advisory board. The department shall transmit any monetary gifts, grants, or donations it receives to the state treasurer for deposit in the health facilities general licensure cash fund, and those moneys may be used only to pay the direct expenses of the department. (4) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "department" means the department of public health and environment. (5) This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2018. Prior to the repeal, the department of regulatory agencies shall review the functions of the stroke advisory board in accordance with section 2-3-1203, C.R.S. 25-3-116. Department recognition of national certification - suspension or revocation of recognition - definitions. (1) A hospital that has an accreditation, certification, or designation in stroke or STEMI care from a nationally recognized accrediting body, including but not limited to a certification as a comprehensive stroke center or primary stroke center by the joint commission on accreditation of health care organizations and programs or its successor organization or an accreditation as a STEMI receiving center or STEMI referral center by the society for cardiovascular patient care or its successor organization, may send information and supporting documentation to the department. The department shall make a hospital's national accreditation, certification, or designation available to the public in a manner determined by the department. (2) The department shall deem a hospital that is currently accredited, certified, or designated by a nationally recognized accrediting body as satisfying the requirements for recognition and publication by the department. The department may suspend or revoke a recognition and publication of a hospital's accreditation, certification, or designation if the department determines, after notice and hearing in accordance with the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., that the hospital no longer holds an active accreditation, certification, or designation from a nationally recognized certifying body. (3) Whether a hospital attains a national accreditation, certification, or designation in stroke or STEMI care has no bearing on, or connection with, the licensing or certification of the hospital by the department pursuant to section 25-1.5-103 (1) (a). (4) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "Department" means the department of public health and environment. (b) "STEMI" means ST-elevation myocardial infarction. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 2-3-1203, add (3) (ee.5) as follows: 2-3-1203. Sunset review of advisory committees. (3) The following dates are the dates for which the statutory authorization for the designated advisory committees is scheduled for repeal: (ee.5) September 1, 2018: (II) The stroke advisory board created in section 25-3-115, C.R.S.; SECTION 3. Appropriation. In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the general fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of public health and environment, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, the sum of $41,402 and 0.6 FTE, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for allocation to the emergency preparedness and response division for the stroke and STEMI heart attack designation line item related to the implementation of this act. SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. ____________________________ ____________________________ John P. Morse Mark Ferrandino PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Cindi L. Markwell Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ John W. Hickenlooper GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO