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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health care-associated infection rates at certain |
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health care facilities and the creation of an advisory panel. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 98 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 98. HEALTH CARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTION RATES |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 98.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Advisory panel" means the Advisory Panel on |
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Health Care-Associated Infections. |
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(2) "Ambulatory surgical center" means a facility |
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licensed under Chapter 243. |
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(3) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of state |
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health services. |
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(4) "Department" means the Department of State Health |
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Services. |
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(5) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(6) "General hospital" means a public or private |
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general hospital licensed under Chapter 241. The term does not |
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include comprehensive medical rehabilitation facilities. |
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(7) "Health care-associated infection" means a |
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localized or symptomatic condition resulting from an adverse |
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reaction to an infectious agent or its toxins to which a patient is |
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exposed in the course of health care delivery. |
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(8) "Health care facility" means: |
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(A) a general hospital; |
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(B) an ambulatory surgical center; or |
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(C) a state-owned or state-operated hospital |
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that provides acute medical or surgical services subject to |
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reporting requirements under this chapter. |
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(9) "Infection control professional" means a person |
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who has the training required by this chapter and department rule |
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and who is responsible for identifying information a health care |
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facility is required to report to the department under this |
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chapter. |
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(10) "Infection rate" means the number of health |
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care-associated infections of a particular type at a health care |
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facility divided by a numerical measure over time of the population |
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at risk for contracting the infection, unless the term is modified |
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by rule of the executive commissioner to accomplish the purposes of |
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this chapter. |
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(11) "Outcome measure" means a measure of the outcome |
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of medical care in terms of mortality, selected complications, |
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medical errors, or the effectiveness of evidence-based infection |
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prevention processes. |
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(12) "Pediatric and adolescent hospital" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 241.003. |
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(13) "Process measure" means a measure of a health |
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care facility's compliance with recommended infection control |
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practices. |
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Sec. 98.002. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110, |
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Government Code, does not apply to the advisory panel created under |
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Subchapter B. |
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[Sections 98.003-98.050 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER B. ADVISORY PANEL |
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Sec. 98.051. ESTABLISHMENT. The commissioner shall |
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establish the Advisory Panel on Health Care-Associated Infections |
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within the regulatory licensing unit of the health care quality |
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section of the department as a permanent advisory panel to guide the |
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implementation, development, and evaluation of a health |
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care-associated infection rate reporting system in this state. |
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Sec. 98.052. MEMBERSHIP; TERM. (a) The commissioner |
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shall appoint the members of the advisory panel in accordance with |
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Subsection (b). |
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(b) The advisory panel is composed of 14 members as follows: |
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(1) two infection control professionals who: |
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(A) are certified by the Certification Board of |
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Infection Control and Epidemiology; and |
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(B) are practicing in hospitals in this state, at |
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least one of which must be a rural hospital; |
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(2) two infection control professionals who: |
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(A) are certified by the Certification Board of |
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Infection Control and Epidemiology; and |
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(B) are nurses licensed to engage in professional |
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nursing under Chapter 301, Occupations Code; |
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(3) three board-certified or board-eligible |
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physicians who: |
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(A) are licensed to practice medicine in this |
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state under Chapter 155, Occupations Code, at least two of whom must |
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have active medical staff privileges at a hospital in this state; |
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(B) are active members of the Society for |
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Healthcare Epidemiology of America; and |
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(C) have demonstrated expertise in infection |
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control in health care facilities; |
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(4) one chief executive officer of a general hospital; |
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(5) one chief executive officer of an ambulatory |
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surgical center; |
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(6) three nonvoting members who are department |
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employees representing the department in epidemiology and the |
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licensing of hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers; and |
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(7) two public members who represent health care |
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consumers. |
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(c) Members of the advisory panel serve two-year terms. |
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Sec. 98.053. MEMBER ELIGIBILITY. A person may not be a |
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member of the advisory panel if the person is required to register |
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as a lobbyist under Chapter 305, Government Code, because of the |
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person's activities for compensation on behalf of a profession |
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related to health care. |
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Sec. 98.054. OFFICERS. The members of the advisory panel |
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shall elect a presiding officer and an assistant presiding officer |
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from among the members. |
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Sec. 98.055. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. (a) Except as |
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provided by Subsection (b), a member of the advisory panel is not |
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entitled to compensation for service on the advisory panel and is |
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not entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses. |
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(b) A member who is a representative of a state agency shall |
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be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred while conducting the |
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business of the advisory panel from the funds of the agency the |
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person represents in accordance with the General Appropriations |
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Act. |
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Sec. 98.056. VACANCY. A vacancy on the advisory panel |
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shall be filled by the commissioner. |
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Sec. 98.057. MEETINGS; DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) The |
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advisory panel shall meet at the call of the presiding officer or |
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the commissioner. |
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(b) The department shall provide the advisory panel the |
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assistance it needs to perform its duties. |
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[Sections 98.058-98.100 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER C. DUTIES OF ADVISORY PANEL |
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Sec. 98.101. GENERAL DUTIES. (a) The advisory panel |
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shall guide the implementation, development, and evaluation of a |
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health care-associated infection rate reporting system in this |
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state. The advisory panel shall determine the methods for |
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collecting and reporting evidence-based data on: |
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(1) infection rates; |
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(2) process measures; and |
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(3) outcome measures. |
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(b) In developing the methods under Subsection (a), the |
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advisory panel shall consider: |
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(1) adjusting the reported infection rates to account |
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for the differences in patient populations and for factors outside |
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the control of the health care facility; |
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(2) standardizing data collection methodology and |
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reporting; |
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(3) reviewing data collection and reporting systems of |
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other entities related to infection rates, such as the National |
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Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System of the federal Centers |
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for Disease Control and Prevention; |
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(4) reviewing data collection and reporting systems of |
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other entities related to process measures, such as the Joint |
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Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or the |
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Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; |
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(5) maximizing the efficient use of the resources |
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required for health care facilities to conduct required |
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surveillance and reporting; |
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(6) recognizing the potential unintended consequences |
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of releasing to the public data that was collected using a poorly |
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designed or executed reporting system that may diminish the overall |
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quality of this state's health care or mislead or fail to protect |
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health care consumers who use the data; and |
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(7) providing additional benefits to health care |
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consumers. |
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Sec. 98.102. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. Not later than |
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November 1 of each even-numbered year, the commissioner shall file |
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a report with the presiding officer of each house of the legislature |
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on the advisory panel's recommendations for legislation regarding |
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the collection and reporting of infection rates, process measures, |
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or outcome measures. |
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[Sections 98.103-98.150 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER D. REPORTING INFECTION RATE |
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Sec. 98.151. COLLECTION OF HEALTH CARE-ASSOCIATED |
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INFECTION DATA. (a) A health care facility shall submit each |
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quarter to the department a health care-associated infection rate |
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report for the previous quarter. The information for the report |
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must be identified by an infection control professional using |
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accepted methods of clinical surveillance in accordance with |
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department rules. |
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(b) The report required by Subsection (a) must include the |
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infection rates for: |
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(1) central line-associated, laboratory-confirmed |
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primary bloodstream infections in special care settings, such as |
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intensive care units, of general hospitals; |
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(2) surgical site infections identified, including |
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infections identified through post-discharged surveillance, for |
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the following surgical procedures performed in general hospitals |
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and ambulatory surgical centers: |
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(A) colon surgery; |
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(B) hip and knee arthroplasty; |
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(C) abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy; |
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(D) coronary artery bypass graft; and |
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(E) other vascular procedures specified by |
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department rule; |
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(3) health care-associated respiratory syncytial |
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viruses in pediatric inpatient units of general hospitals; |
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(4) surgical site infections identified, including |
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those identified through post-discharged surveillance, for the |
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following surgical procedures performed in pediatric and |
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adolescent hospitals: |
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(A) cardiac procedures, excluding thoracid; |
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(B) ventriculoperitoneal shunt procedures; and |
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(C) spinal surgery with instrumentation; and |
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(5) any other surgical site infections, including |
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those identified through post-discharged surveillance, that the |
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department by rule requires a health care facility to report. |
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(c) An ambulatory surgical center, general hospital, or |
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pediatric and adolescent hospital that performs fewer than 50 of |
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the surgical procedures listed in Subsections (b)(2) and (4) shall |
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report surgical site infection data, including post-discharge |
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surveillance data, for the three procedures most frequently |
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performed at the center or hospital that are on the federal Centers |
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for Disease Control and Prevention's National Nosocomial |
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Infections Surveillance System list of surgical procedures. |
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(d) The executive commissioner and department by rule shall |
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phase in for inclusion in the report required under Subsection (a) |
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additional surgical site infections listed on the federal Centers |
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for Disease Control and Prevention's National Nosocomial |
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Infections Surveillance System list of surgical procedures. The |
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executive commissioner and department may exclude a procedure or |
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include an unlisted procedure as the department determines |
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appropriate to protect the public health and safety or to follow |
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federal reporting requirements. |
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(e) A health care facility may not use hospital discharge |
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diagnosis codes to determine the information that must be reported |
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under this section. |
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Sec. 98.152. REPORTING SYSTEM. The department, using |
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existing resources, shall: |
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(1) develop a health-care-associated infection rate |
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reporting system in this state that is flexible and expandable to |
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collect data through electronic communications with health care |
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facilities; and |
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(2) review infection control and reporting activities |
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of health care facilities to ensure the data provided is valid and |
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does not have unusual data patterns or trends that suggest |
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implausible rates. |
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Sec. 98.153. INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC. The |
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department, on its Internet website and in a written report, shall |
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disclose to the public the infection rate for central |
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line-associated, laboratory-confirmed primary bloodstream |
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infections in special care settings, such as intensive care units, |
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of general hospitals. The report must identify each health care |
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facility included in the report. |
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Sec. 98.154. TRAINING FOR INFECTION CONTROL |
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PROFESSIONALS. The executive commissioner by rule shall establish |
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the training requirements and qualifications for infection control |
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professionals based on recommendations of the Healthcare Infection |
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Control Practices Advisory Committee of the federal Centers for |
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Disease Control and Prevention. |
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Sec. 98.155. PROTECTION FOR REPORTING. (a) A health care |
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facility may not retaliate against an infection control |
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professional employed by or under contract with a health care |
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facility for identifying information that must be submitted to the |
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department under this chapter. |
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(b) This section does not prohibit a health care facility |
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from terminating an employee for a reason other than retaliation. |
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Sec. 98.156. CONFIDENTIALITY. (a) Reports, records, and |
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information obtained under this chapter, including information |
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identifying an individual patient, are confidential and are not |
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subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, are not |
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subject to subpoena, and may not otherwise be released or made |
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public except as provided by this chapter. Except as provided by |
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this chapter, the reports, records, and information obtained under |
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this chapter are for the confidential use of the department and the |
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persons or entities that the department determines are necessary to |
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carry out the intent of this chapter. |
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(b) Medical or epidemiological information may be released: |
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(1) for statistical purposes in a manner that prevents |
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identification of individuals or health care practitioners; or |
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(2) with the consent of each person identified in the |
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information. |
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Sec. 98.157. CIVIL ACTION. Published infection rates may |
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not be used in a civil action to establish a standard of care |
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applicable to a health care facility. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt the rules and procedures necessary |
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to implement Chapter 98, Health and Safety Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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(b) The Department of State Health Services shall require |
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submission of the initial reports required under Chapter 98, Health |
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and Safety Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, |
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2008, based on data from the previous quarter. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commissioner of state health services shall |
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appoint members to the Advisory Panel on Health Care-Associated |
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Infections as required by Chapter 98, Health and Safety Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the 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, 2007. |