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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to regional protocols and processes for patient transfers |
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and related services within the geographic area served by certain |
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trauma service area regional advisory councils. |
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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, GUIDELINES, AND PROTOCOLS |
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RELATED TO CERTAIN PATIENT TRANSFERS AND RELATED SERVICES. (a) |
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This section applies only to a trauma service area regional |
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advisory council serving a geographic area 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 to |
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which this section applies, the executive commissioner by rule |
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shall: |
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(1) require the council to create an advisory committee |
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composed of equally represented designated trauma hospital system |
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members located within the geographic boundaries of the council or |
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require the council to direct an existing advisory committee of the |
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council established for a purpose similar to that described by this |
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subsection to: |
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(A) develop guidelines for patient transfers; 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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health care facility closest to and most appropriate for the |
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patients, require the council to develop regional protocols and |
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processes to assist the council in managing the dispatch, triage, |
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transport, and transfer of patients; and |
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(3) require each hospital and emergency medical |
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services provider operating within the council's geographic |
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boundaries to collect and report to the council data on patients |
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transferred outside the council's geographic boundaries. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than April 1, 2022, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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adopt the rules required by Section 773.1141, Health and Safety |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |