REFERENCE TITLE: DHS; stroke care protocols

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fiftieth Legislature First Regular Session 2011

HB 2157

Introduced by Representative Ash

 

AN ACT

 

Relating to the adoption of stroke care protocols by the department of health services.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Department of health services; stroke protocols

On or before January 1, 2013, the department of health services shall adopt rules to do the following:

1.  Establish emergency stroke care protocols within each of the four local emergency medical services coordinating regions for patient care and patient care procedures relating to the assessment, treatment and transport of stroke patients.  These protocols shall be consistent with nationally recognized protocols established by a national organization that focuses on heart disease and stroke prevention.

2.  Establish minimum standards for hospital-based and rehabilitation stroke care that are consistent with nationally recognized guidelines established by a national organization that focuses on heart disease and stroke prevention.

3.  Establish certification standards relating to a hospital's capability to provide emergency stroke care that are based on standards established by national organizations that certify hospital primary stroke centers.

4.  Establish a statewide stroke quality improvement database that compiles data on stroke care and that is consistent with the stroke consensus metrics prescribed by the centers for disease control and prevention and a national organization that focuses on heart disease and stroke prevention.

Sec. 2.  Exemption from rule making

For the purposes of this act, the department of health services is exempt from the rule making requirements of title 41, chapter 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, for one year after the effective date of this act.