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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a coordinated system for the dispatch, |
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triage, transport, and transfer of patients in certain trauma |
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service area regional advisory councils; providing rulemaking |
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authority. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 773, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 773.1141 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 773.1141. INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES RELATED TO |
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CERTAIN PATIENT TRANSFERS AND RELATED SERVICES. (a) This section |
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applies only to a trauma service area regional advisory council |
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that includes: |
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(1) at least one county located on the international |
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border of this state; and |
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(2) at least one county adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. |
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(b) For each trauma service area regional advisory council |
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to which this section applies, the department, by January 1, 2022, |
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by rule shall: |
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(1) require the council to create an advisory |
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committee composed of equally represented designated trauma |
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hospital members located within the geographic boundaries of the |
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council to: |
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(A) develop guidelines for patient transfers; |
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and |
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(B) periodically review patient transfers to |
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ensure compliance with applicable guidelines; |
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(2) for the purpose of ensuring that patients located |
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in the council's geographic boundaries receive health care at the |
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closest and most appropriate health care facility, require the |
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council to implement a centralized system to assist the council in |
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the dispatch, triage, transport, and transfer of patients; and |
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(3) require each hospital and emergency services |
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provider operating within the geographic boundaries of the council |
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to collect and report to the council data on patients transferred |
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outside the geographic boundaries of the council. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |