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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1635                      PRINTER'S NO. 2049

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE RESOLUTION

No. 130 Session of 2000


        INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, SALVATORE, LEMMOND, HART, DENT, MUSTO,
           O'PAKE, STOUT, COSTA AND BOSCOLA, FEBRUARY 1, 2000

        SENATOR MOWERY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, AS AMENDED,
           JUNE 13, 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  CONSISTING OF 15 MEMBERS. THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE composed of one  <--
    29  representative from and designated by each of the following: The  <--
    30  Pennsylvania Neurosurgical Society, the Pennsylvania Chapter of
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     1  the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Pennsylvania
     2  Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, the Pennsylvania
     3  Academy of Family Physicians, the Pennsylvania Emergency Health
     4  Services Council, the Hospital and Health System Association of
     5  Pennsylvania, the Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Medical
     6  Society, the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association, the
     7  Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Pennsylvania
     8  Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, the Pennsylvania
     9  Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., the Pennsylvania
    10  Psychological Association, the American Stroke Association, a
    11  division of the American Heart Association, the biotechnology
    12  industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the Pennsylvania Health
    13  Care Cost Containment Council, the Philadelphia Stroke Council,
    14  a stroke institute associated with a University Medical Center,
    15  the Institute for Healthy Communities, the health care insurance
    16  industry, the long-term care providers, rural health providers
    17  and the Pennsylvania Public Relations Society of America; and be
    18  it further THE FOLLOWING:  THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; THE          <--
    19  HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEMS ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA; THE
    20  PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY
    21  PHYSICIANS; THE AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION, A DIVISION OF THE
    22  AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION; THE PENNSYLVANIA PSYCHOLOGICAL
    23  ASSOCIATION; THE HEALTH CARE INSURANCE INDUSTRY; RURAL HEALTH
    24  PROVIDERS; A STROKE INSTITUTE ASSOCIATED WITH A UNIVERSITY
    25  MEDICAL CENTER; THE PHILADELPHIA STROKE COUNCIL; ONE MEMBER TO
    26  REPRESENT THE REHABILITATION INDUSTRY DESIGNATED BY THE
    27  PENNSYLVANIA PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, THE SPEECH-LANGUAGE-
    28  HEARING ASSOCIATION, THE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION OF
    29  REHABILITATION FACILITIES AND THE PENNSYLVANIA OCCUPATIONAL
    30  THERAPY ASSOCIATION, INC. IN ADDITION, ONE MEMBER OF THE
    20000S0130R2049                  - 3 -

     1  COMMITTEE SHALL BE CHOSEN BY THE COORDINATED DESIGNATION OF THE
     2  BIOTECHNOLOGY AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES. FINALLY, FOUR
     3  MEMBERS AT LARGE SHALL BE DESIGNATED BY THE TASK FORCE UPON THE
     4  RECOMMENDATION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FROM AMONG THE
     5  PENNSYLVANIA NEUROLOGICAL SOCIETY, THE PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER OF
     6  THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY, THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF
     7  FAMILY PHYSICIANS, THE EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES COUNCIL, THE
     8  INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND THE PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC
     9  RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA; AND BE IT FURTHER
    10     RESOLVED, That the task force study the feasibility of
    11  developing and implementing a comprehensive Statewide public
    12  education program on stroke prevention, targeted to high-risk
    13  populations and to geographic areas where there is a high
    14  incidence of stroke, which shall include information on:
    15         (1)  leading healthy lifestyle practices that reduce the
    16     risk of stroke;
    17         (2)  identifying the signs and symptoms of stroke and the
    18     action to be taken when these signs occur;
    19         (3)  determining what constitutes high-quality health
    20     care for stroke;
    21         (4)  adopting and disseminating guidelines on the
    22     treatment of stroke patients, including emergency stroke
    23     care, throughout this Commonwealth;
    24         (5)  taking such other actions that are consistent with
    25     the scope and purpose of this resolution to ensure that the
    26     public and health care providers are sufficiently informed of
    27     the most effective strategies for stroke prevention and to
    28     assist health care providers to utilize the most effective
    29     treatment strategies for stroke; and
    30         (6)  addressing means by which the guidelines may be
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     1     revised to remain current with developing treatment
     2     methodologies;
     3  and be it further
     4     RESOLVED, That the task force, in accomplishing its missions,
     5  take into account guidelines that have been promulgated by
     6  nationally recognized organizations which deal with stroke; and
     7  be it further
     8     RESOLVED, That in its deliberations the task force consider
     9  whether its activities would duplicate existing disease
    10  education and prevention programs in the Department of Health
    11  and other Federal and State agencies; and be it further
    12     RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
    13  recommend the adoption of stroke guidelines and an appropriate
    14  means of disseminating information to the professional community
    15  and the general public and study the need for the designation of
    16  stroke centers throughout this Commonwealth; and be it further
    17     RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
    18  recommend sources of funds to carry out its recommendations and
    19  determine the adequacy of health insurance coverage for stroke
    20  patients; and be it further
    21     RESOLVED, That the task force report its findings to the
    22  General Assembly no later than November 30, 2000.






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