Assigned to HHS                                                                                                               AS PASSED BY COW

 


 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session

 

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR h.b. 2374

 

acute care services; pilot program

Purpose

Allows a hospital to include the services of a mobile paramedic in the Department of Health Services (DHS) Acute Care at Home Pilot Program (ACHPP) and outlines requirements for an ACHPP mobile paramedic.

Background

ACHPP is a three-year pilot program, developed by DHS, that allows the delivery of acute care services to a patient in the patient's home by an Arizona licensed hospital. DHS must determine, in collaboration with interested Arizona hospitals, the: 1) criteria necessary for hospital ACHPP eligibility; 2) protocols for eligible hospitals to determine patient ACHPP eligibility; and 3) protocols for health care services to be provided by or under the direction of eligible hospitals to patients in ACHPP. Eligible hospitals must demonstrate to DHS the required in-person and telehealth equipment necessary to provide acute in-home services.

A hospital participating in ACHPP may use applicable DHS-determined protocols to set: 1) patient eligibility criteria; 2) categories of licensed health care providers that may be used;
3) services that may be outsourced by the hospital; and 4) health care services to be provided by or under the direction of the hospital. ACHPP is repealed on December 31, 2024 (Laws 2021,
Ch. 320
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.   Allows a hospital to include the services of mobile paramedics in the ACHPP.

2.   Requires an ACHPP mobile paramedic to:

a)   before January 1, 2023, have at least two years of experience as a paramedic and be certified in community paramedicine by a recognized certifying body;

b)   beginning January 1, 2023, have at least two years of experience as a paramedic and be certified in community paramedicine by a recognized certifying body before being employed as a mobile paramedic; and

c)   provide health care services under the supervision and delegation of a licensed physician who works for the ambulance service that employs the mobile paramedic and is performing services for the hospital.

3.   Delegates, to the supervising physician, the responsibility of directing and reviewing the health care services and other activities of the mobile paramedic.

4.   Specifies that a mobile paramedic's scope of practice is delegated to the mobile paramedic by the supervising physician.

5.   Allows a mobile paramedic to provide one or both of the twice-daily ACHPP-required onsite patient assessment visits.

6.   Allows a mobile paramedic in-person visit to replace one or both of the required twice-daily onsite patient assessment visits completed by a registered nurse or advanced practice provider.

7.   Allows nursing or other health care ACHPP-provided services, other than the twice-daily onsite patient assessment visits, to be virtual or in person.

8.   Makes technical and conforming changes.

9.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by the Committee of the Whole

1.   Allows a mobile paramedic to provide one or both of the twice-daily onsite patient assessment visits required under the ACHPP that would otherwise be required to be completed by a registered nurse or advanced practice provider.

2.   Allows nursing or other ACHPP-provided services, other than the twice-daily onsite patient assessment visits, to be conducted virtually or in person.

House Action                                                           Senate Action

COM               2/8/22        DP       9-0-0-1               HHS                3/2/22        DP     7-0-1

3rd Read          2/17/22                  53-5-1-1

Prepared by Senate Research

March 23, 2022

MM/MC/sr