By Van de Putte H.B. No. 2385
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to pediatric emergency medical services.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, is amended
1-5 by adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
1-6 SUBCHAPTER G. PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
1-7 Sec. 773.171. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN
1-8 PROGRAM. (a) The emergency medical services for children program
1-9 is in the bureau of emergency management.
1-10 (b) The department shall provide coordination and support
1-11 for a statewide pediatric emergency services system.
1-12 (c) The department may solicit, receive, and spend funds it
1-13 receives from the federal government and public or private sources
1-14 to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
1-15 Sec. 773.172. PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY
1-16 COMMITTEE. (a) The Pediatric Emergency Medical Services Advisory
1-17 Committee is composed of seven members appointed by the
1-18 Commissioner or the Commissioners' designee.
1-19 (b) The members must include individuals who are clinical
1-20 management, clinical education, and administration experts in the
1-21 areas of prehospital care, emergency room care, acute care, and
1-22 rehabilitation of pediatric patients.
1-23 (c) Members are appointed for staggered six-year terms, with
2-1 the terms of a portion of the members expiring August 31 of each
2-2 odd-numbered year. If a vacancy occurs on the committee, the board
2-3 shall appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired
2-4 term.
2-5 (d) The committee may adopt rules for the conduct of its
2-6 activities and may elect a presiding officer from among its
2-7 members. The committee shall meet in Austin at least quarterly.
2-8 (e) The committee shall advise the department on the
2-9 emergency medical needs of pediatric patients and shall recommend
2-10 for the board's consideration rules providing minimum standards and
2-11 objectives to implement this subchapter. Committee members serve
2-12 as pediatric experts to advise the board and to serve as liaison
2-13 members for other committees associated with the bureau, including
2-14 the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, the trauma
2-15 technical advisory committee, and the coordinating committee on
2-16 poison control.
2-17 Sec. 773.173. DUTIES OF BOARD; RULES. (a) On the
2-18 recommendation of the advisory committee, the board shall adopt
2-19 minimum standards and objectives to implement a pediatric emergency
2-20 services system, including rules that:
2-21 (1) provide guidelines for categorization of a
2-22 facility's pediatric capability;
2-23 (2) provide for triage, transfer, and transportation
2-24 policies for pediatric care;
2-25 (3) establish guidelines for:
3-1 (A) prehospital care management for triage and
3-2 transportation of a pediatric patient;
3-3 (B) prehospital and hospital equipment that is
3-4 necessary and appropriate for the care of a pediatric patient;
3-5 (C) necessary pediatric emergency equipment and
3-6 training in long-term care facilities; and
3-7 (D) an interhospital transfer system for a
3-8 critically ill or injured pediatric patient; and
3-9 (4) provide for data collection and analysis.
3-10 (b) The board and the advisory committee shall consider
3-11 guidelines endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the
3-12 American College of Surgeons in recommending and adopting rules
3-13 under this section.
3-14 (c) The bureau may grant an exception to a rule adopted
3-15 under this section if it finds that compliance with the rule would
3-16 not be in the best interests of persons served in the affected
3-17 local pediatric emergency medical services system.
3-18 (d) This subchapter does not prohibit a health care facility
3-19 from providing services that it is authorized to provide under a
3-20 license issued to the facility by the department.
3-21 SECTION 2. Two initial members appointed to the Pediatric
3-22 Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee serve for terms
3-23 expiring August 31, 1995, two initial members serve for terms
3-24 expiring August 31, 1997, and three initial members serve for terms
3-25 expiring August 31, 1999. The seven initial members shall draw
4-1 lots to determine the lengths of their terms.
4-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,