PRINTER'S NO. 1635
No. 130 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, SALVATORE, LEMMOND, HART, DENT, MUSTO,
O'PAKE, STOUT, COSTA AND BOSCOLA, FEBRUARY 1, 2000
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 1, 2000
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to create a
2 stroke prevention task force and advisory committee to
3 promote professional and public education and awareness and
4 to improve the quality of care for stroke victims.
5 WHEREAS, Stroke is the number three killer of Americans,
6 claiming the lives of approximately 25,000 Pennsylvanians each
7 year; and
8 WHEREAS, Stroke is the number one cause of serious
9 disability; and
10 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's seniors are the population at the
11 highest risk for stroke; and
12 WHEREAS, Persons 60 years of age and over comprise 20% of the
13 population of this Commonwealth; and
14 WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the Commonwealth to
15 enable State residents to reduce the risks and effects of
16 strokes so that they may continue to lead long, healthy and
17 productive lives; and
18 WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the State's residents
1 to be educated on healthy lifestyles to reduce the risk of
2 stroke by increasing physical activity, increasing awareness of
3 cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure and improving
4 dietary habits; and
5 WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the Commonwealth to
6 gather and disseminate appropriate information to health care
7 professionals to facilitate their provision of quality care to
8 reduce the effects of strokes; and
9 WHEREAS, The adoption of guidelines for the care of stroke
10 patients, including emergency stroke care, throughout this
11 Commonwealth will enhance the ability of health care
12 professionals to provide quality care; therefore be it
13 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
14 General Assembly direct the Joint State Government Commission to
15 recommend ways to better publicize warning signs, encourage more
16 people to increase the odds of recovery by seeking treatment as
17 soon as they suffer symptoms, and to further study the issue of
18 adopting criteria for designating stroke centers throughout this
19 Commonwealth; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly direct the Joint State
21 Government Commission to create a stroke prevention task force
22 consisting of two members appointed by the President pro tempore
23 of the Senate, two members appointed by the Minority Leader of
24 the Senate, two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
25 Representatives and two members appointed by the Minority Leader
26 of the House of Representatives; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the task force create an advisory committee
28 composed of one representative from and designated by each of
29 the following: The Pennsylvania Neurosurgical Society, the
30 Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency
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1 Physicians, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of
2 Cardiology, the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, the
3 Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, the Hospital and
4 Health System Association of Pennsylvania, the Department of
5 Health, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, the Pennsylvania
6 Physical Therapy Association, the Speech-Language-Hearing
7 Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation
8 Facilities, the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association,
9 Inc., the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, the American
10 Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart
11 Association, the biotechnology industry, the pharmaceutical
12 industry, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council,
13 the Philadelphia Stroke Council, a stroke institute associated
14 with a University Medical Center, the Institute for Healthy
15 Communities, the health care insurance industry, the long-term
16 care providers, rural health providers and the Pennsylvania
17 Public Relations Society of America; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the task force study the feasibility of
19 developing and implementing a comprehensive Statewide public
20 education program on stroke prevention, targeted to high-risk
21 populations and to geographic areas where there is a high
22 incidence of stroke, which shall include information on:
23 (1) leading healthy lifestyle practices that reduce the
24 risk of stroke;
25 (2) identifying the signs and symptoms of stroke and the
26 action to be taken when these signs occur;
27 (3) determining what constitutes high-quality health
28 care for stroke;
29 (4) adopting and disseminating guidelines on the
30 treatment of stroke patients, including emergency stroke
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1 care, throughout this Commonwealth;
2 (5) taking such other actions that are consistent with
3 the scope and purpose of this resolution to ensure that the
4 public and health care providers are sufficiently informed of
5 the most effective strategies for stroke prevention and to
6 assist health care providers to utilize the most effective
7 treatment strategies for stroke; and
8 (6) addressing means by which the guidelines may be
9 revised to remain current with developing treatment
10 methodologies;
11 and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the task force, in accomplishing its missions,
13 take into account guidelines that have been promulgated by
14 nationally recognized organizations which deal with stroke; and
15 be it further
16 RESOLVED, That in its deliberations the task force consider
17 whether its activities would duplicate existing disease
18 education and prevention programs in the Department of Health
19 and other Federal and State agencies; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
21 recommend the adoption of stroke guidelines and an appropriate
22 means of disseminating information to the professional community
23 and the general public and study the need for the designation of
24 stroke centers throughout this Commonwealth; and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
26 recommend sources of funds to carry out its recommendations and
27 determine the adequacy of health insurance coverage for stroke
28 patients; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the task force report its findings to the
30 General Assembly no later than November 30, 2000.
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