HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1635, 2049 PRINTER'S NO. 2217
No. 130 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, SALVATORE, LEMMOND, HART, DENT, MUSTO,
O'PAKE, STOUT, COSTA AND BOSCOLA, FEBRUARY 1, 2000
AS AMENDED, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OCTOBER 10, 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 16 members. The committee shall be composed of <--
29 one representative from and designated by each of the following:
30 The Department of Health; the Hospital and Health Systems
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1 Association of Pennsylvania; the Pennsylvania Chapter of the
2 American College of Emergency Physicians; the American Stroke
3 Association, a division of the American Heart Association; the
4 Pennsylvania Psychological Association; THE HEALTH CARE COST <--
5 CONTAINMENT COUNCIL; the health care insurance industry; rural
6 health providers; a stroke institute associated with a
7 university medical center; the Philadelphia Stroke Council; one
8 member to represent the rehabilitation industry designated by
9 the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association, the Speech-
10 Language-Hearing Association, the Pennsylvania Association of
11 Rehabilitation Facilities and the Pennsylvania Occupational
12 Therapy Association, Inc. In addition, one member of the
13 committee shall be chosen by the coordinated designation of the
14 biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Finally, four
15 members at large shall be designated by the task force upon the
16 recommendation of the advisory committee from among the
17 Pennsylvania Neurological Society, the Pennsylvania Chapter of
18 the American College of Cardiology, the Pennsylvania Academy of
19 Family Physicians, the Emergency Health Services Council, the
20 Institute for Healthy Communities and the Pennsylvania Public
21 Relations Society of America; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the task force study the feasibility of
23 developing and implementing a comprehensive Statewide public
24 education program on stroke prevention, targeted to high-risk
25 populations and to geographic areas where there is a high
26 incidence of stroke, which shall include information on:
27 (1) leading healthy lifestyle practices that reduce the
28 risk of stroke;
29 (2) identifying the signs and symptoms of stroke and the
30 action to be taken when these signs occur;
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1 (3) determining what constitutes high-quality health
2 care for stroke;
3 (4) adopting and disseminating guidelines on the
4 treatment of stroke patients, including emergency stroke
5 care, throughout this Commonwealth;
6 (5) taking such other actions that are consistent with
7 the scope and purpose of this resolution to ensure that the
8 public and health care providers are sufficiently informed of
9 the most effective strategies for stroke prevention and to
10 assist health care providers to utilize the most effective
11 treatment strategies for stroke; and
12 (6) addressing means by which the guidelines may be
13 revised to remain current with developing treatment
14 methodologies;
15 and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the task force, in accomplishing its missions,
17 take into account guidelines that have been promulgated by
18 nationally recognized organizations which deal with stroke; and
19 be it further
20 RESOLVED, That in its deliberations the task force consider
21 whether its activities would duplicate existing disease
22 education and prevention programs in the Department of Health
23 and other Federal and State agencies; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
25 recommend the adoption of stroke guidelines and an appropriate
26 means of disseminating information to the professional community
27 and the general public and study the need for the designation of
28 stroke centers throughout this Commonwealth; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
30 recommend sources of funds to carry out its recommendations and
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1 determine the adequacy of health insurance coverage for stroke
2 patients; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the task force report its findings to the <--
4 General Assembly no later than November 30, 2000.
5 RESOLVED, THAT THE TASK FORCE REPORT ITS FINDINGS DIRECTLY TO <--
6 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY NO LATER THAN TWO YEARS AFTER ADOPTION OF
7 THIS RESOLUTION.
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