** REVISION **
SENATE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
COMMITTEE:
Health & Human Services
TIME & DATE:
9:00 AM, Thursday, April 15, 2010
PLACE:
Senate Chamber
CHAIR:
Senator Jane Nelson
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services will take up the
following charges:
 
Charge #4 - Study and make recommendations on the state's role for
facilitating the exchange of health care information in the future,
including using the Medicaid exchange as a framework for the statewide
exchange of health information between health care providers to improve
quality of care; what information the state should provide; how to use
this information to improve care management, prevent medical errors, and
reduce unnecessary services; and policies and statutory changes needed to
ensure that privacy is protected. Study the feasibility of developing
multiple regional health information technology exchanges in Texas.
 
Charge #9 - Study current state health care quality improvement
initiatives in Texas, including statewide health care-associated infection
and adverse event reporting, reimbursement reductions in the Texas
Medicaid program for preventable adverse events, potentially preventable
readmissions identification, health information technology implementation,
pay-for-performance programs, and other initiatives aimed at improving
the efficiency, safety, and quality of health care in Texas. Identify
statutory changes that may build upon efforts to improve quality of care
and contain health care costs in Texas. Study policies that encourage and
facilitate the use of best practices by health care providers including
the best way to report and distribute information on quality of care and
the use of best practices to the public and to promote health care
provider and payment incentives that will encourage the use of best
practices. The study/recommendations could also include assessing the best
way to bring provider groups together to increase quality of care, the
use of best practices, and reduce unnecessary services.
 
Public testimony will be limited to 3 minutes.
If submitting written testimony, please provide 20 copies with your name
on each.
** See Committee Coordinator for previous versions of the schedule **