By: Nelson S.B. No. 620

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the reporting of health care-associated infections and preventable adverse events.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsection (c), Section 98.102, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows:

(c) The data reported by health care facilities to the department must contain sufficient patient identifying information to:

(1) avoid duplicate submission of records;

(2) allow the department to verify the accuracy and completeness of the data reported; and

(3) for data reported under Section 98.103 [or 98.104], allow the department to risk adjust the facilities' infection rates.

SECTION 2. Section 98.103, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:

(b) A pediatric and adolescent hospital shall report the incidence of surgical site infections, including the causative pathogen if the infection is laboratory-confirmed, occurring in the following procedures to the department:

(1) cardiac procedures, excluding thoracic cardiac procedures;

(2) ventricular [ventriculoperitoneal] shunt procedures; and

(3) spinal surgery with instrumentation.

(d-1) The executive commissioner by rule may designate the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network, or its successor, to receive reports of health care-associated infections from health care facilities on behalf of the department. A health care facility must file a report required in accordance with a designation made under this subsection in accordance with the National Healthcare Safety Network's definitions, methods, requirements, and procedures. A health care facility shall authorize the department to have access to facility-specific data contained in a report filed with the National Healthcare Safety Network in accordance with a designation made under this subsection.

SECTION 3. Section 98.1045, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

(c) The executive commissioner by rule may designate an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to receive reports of preventable adverse events by health care facilities on behalf of the department. A health care facility shall authorize the department to have access to facility-specific data contained in a report made in accordance with a designation made under this subsection.

SECTION 4. Section 98.105, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 98.105. REPORTING SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS. Based on the recommendations of the advisory panel, the executive commissioner by rule may modify in accordance with this chapter the list of procedures that are reportable under Section 98.103 [or 98.104]. The modifications must be based on changes in reporting guidelines and in definitions established by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SECTION 5. Subsections (a), (b), and (d), Section 98.106, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The department shall compile and make available to the public a summary, by health care facility, of:

(1) the infections reported by facilities under Section [Sections] 98.103 [and 98.104]; and

(2) the preventable adverse events reported by facilities under Section 98.1045.

(b) Information included in the departmental summary with respect to infections reported by facilities under Section [Sections] 98.103 [and 98.104] must be risk adjusted and include a comparison of the risk-adjusted infection rates for each health care facility in this state that is required to submit a report under Section [Sections] 98.103 [and 98.104].

(d) The department shall publish the departmental summary at least annually and may publish the summary more frequently as the department considers appropriate. Data made available to the public must include aggregate data covering a period of at least a full calendar quarter.

SECTION 6. Section 98.108, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 98.108. FREQUENCY OF REPORTING. (a) In consultation with the advisory panel, the executive commissioner by rule shall establish the frequency of reporting by health care facilities required under Sections 98.103[, 98.104,] and 98.1045.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), facilities [Facilities] may not be required to report more frequently than quarterly.

(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules requiring reporting more frequently than quarterly if more frequent reporting is necessary to meet the requirements for participation in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network.

SECTION 7. Section 98.110, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 98.110. DISCLOSURE AMONG CERTAIN AGENCIES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may disclose information reported by health care facilities under Section 98.103[, 98.104,] or 98.1045 to other programs within the department, to the Health and Human Services Commission, [and] to other health and human services agencies, as defined by Section 531.001, Government Code, and to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health research or analysis purposes only, provided that the research or analysis relates to health care-associated infections or preventable adverse events. The privilege and confidentiality provisions contained in this chapter apply to such disclosures.

(b) If the executive commissioner designates an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to receive reports of health care-associated infections or preventable adverse events, that agency may use the information submitted for purposes allowed by federal law.

SECTION 8. Section 98.104, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 359 (S.B. 288), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is repealed.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011.