|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to creation of the Texas Health Improvement Network. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 2, Health & Safety Code, is |
|
amended by adding Chapter 172 to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 172. Texas Health Improvement Network |
|
Sec.172.001. PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Health Improvement |
|
Network (THIN) is established as a network of diverse health |
|
professionals dedicated to developing initiatives and translating |
|
research on population health into health policy and best practices |
|
to address urgent health challenges in Texas and the nation. |
|
(b) The network shall achieve the following goals to |
|
improve the health system: |
|
(1) reduce the per capita costs of health care; |
|
(2) improve the individual experience of care (including |
|
quality and patient satisfaction); and |
|
(3) improve the health of Texas. |
|
Sec. 172.002. NETWORK. (a) The network consists of |
|
participating faculty at public and private Texas institutions of |
|
higher education, in addition to participating state and local |
|
health agencies. Participating faculty must include faculty of |
|
both general academic and health-related institutions. |
|
(b) The network shall seek to include faculty that |
|
represents not only the traditional public health and medical |
|
fields, but also expertise on mental health, nursing, pharmacy, |
|
social work, health economics, health policy and law, epidemiology, |
|
biostatistics, health informatics, health services research, |
|
engineering and computer science. |
|
(c) The network shall focus on evaluating and eliminating |
|
health disparities in Texas, including the racial or ethnic, |
|
geographic, and income- or education-related disparities. |
|
(d) The network shall also focus on healthcare |
|
cost-containment and the economic analysis of health policy. |
|
Sec. 172.003. ADVISORY COUNCIL. An advisory council shall |
|
be established for the network that includes both Texas and |
|
national thought leaders in population health. The advisory |
|
council must include expertise in traditional public health and |
|
medical fields, as well as leaders in the fields of behavior health, |
|
business, insurance, philanthropy, education, health law, and |
|
policy. |
|
Sec. 172.004. PROJECTS. (a) From funds appropriated for |
|
purposes of the network, the network shall fund demonstration and |
|
pilot projects using an established, peer-reviewed award process. |
|
(b) The network shall fund internships and other educational |
|
programs to prepare population health care workforce. |
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
the 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, 2015. |