PRINTER'S NO. 1899
No. 1343 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY ERICKSON, WASHINGTON, MUSTO, RAFFERTY, ORIE, COSTA, WOZNIAK, LAVALLE, WAUGH, O'PAKE, ROBBINS, WONDERLING, LOGAN, TOMLINSON, GREENLEAF, BROWNE, STACK AND KITCHEN, APRIL 3, 2008
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, APRIL 3, 2008
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled 2 "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the 3 executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the 4 Executive Department thereof and the administrative 5 departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof, 6 including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or 7 Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or 8 authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative 9 departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and 10 duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative 11 officers, and of the several administrative departments, 12 boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the 13 Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive 14 and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of 15 certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and 16 other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards, 17 and commissions; and prescribing the manner in which the 18 number and compensation of the deputies and all other 19 assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and 20 commissions shall be determined," requiring the Department of 21 Health to provide notice of certified primary stroke 22 treatment hospitals; and establishing the Cardiovascular 23 Disease Advisory Committee and a Statewide stroke database. 24 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 25 hereby enacts as follows: 26 Section 1. The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known 27 as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding
1 sections to read: 2 Section 2126. Cardiovascular Disease Advisory Committee.-- 3 (a) The Cardiovascular Disease Advisory Committee in the 4 Department of Health is established. 5 (b) The Cardiovascular Disease Advisory Committee shall: 6 (1) Advise the Department of Health on how to raise 7 awareness on prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke 8 among the public, the health care community and policymakers 9 using all available data. 10 (2) Identify evidence-based best practice education 11 strategies for the public to identify risk factors associated 12 with the cardiovascular disease and stroke and to identify 13 symptoms at onset. 14 (3) Identify and review evidence-based best practice health 15 promotion and disease prevention strategies related to 16 cardiovascular disease and stroke for implementation in this 17 Commonwealth, with the goal of reducing death and long-term 18 disability among the citizens of this Commonwealth. 19 (4) Identify limitations and problems associated with 20 existing laws, regulations, programs and services related to 21 cardiovascular disease and stroke and propose feasible changes. 22 (5) Examine evidence-based current and alternative treatment 23 options available for treating different types of cardiovascular 24 disease and stroke. 25 (6) Review data collected by the Department of Health 26 pursuant to section 2127 to identify areas of improved outcomes, 27 including reduced secondary stroke events. 28 (7) Identify any additional issues that come before the 29 advisory committee. 30 (c) (1) The Cardiovascular Disease Advisory Committee shall 20080S1343B1899 - 2 -
1 consist of a maximum of sixteen members, including 2 representatives from the Department of Aging, the Department of 3 Health, the Insurance Department and the Department of Public 4 Welfare. 5 (2) The Secretary of Health shall appoint one representative 6 from each of the following fields to serve on the advisory 7 committee: 8 (i) Board-certified cardiac surgeon. 9 (ii) Board-certified neurologist. 10 (iii) Public health professional. 11 (iv) Licensed dietitian. 12 (v) Registered nurse with expertise in cardiovascular 13 disease. 14 (vi) Hospital administrator. 15 (vii) Disparate community. 16 (viii) Emergency medical services community. 17 (ix) Organization representing the rural population. 18 (x) Board certified primary care provider that is a 19 physician specializing in either family practice or internal 20 medicine. 21 (xi) Nonprofit health service plan. 22 (xii) Voluntary organization that addresses cardiovascular 23 disease. 24 (d) The term of the advisory committee members shall be two 25 years from the respective date of their appointment, except that 26 the initial appointments shall be made in such a manner so that 27 six members appointed under subsection (c)(2) shall be appointed 28 for a term of two years, and six members be appointed for a term 29 of one year. A member shall hold office for the term of his 30 appointment and until a successor has been appointed and 20080S1343B1899 - 3 -
1 qualified. All vacancies shall be filled for the balance of the 2 unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. A 3 member of the advisory committee is eligible for reappointment 4 by the Secretary of Health, contingent upon diligent attendance 5 at meetings of the board. 6 (e) The Secretary of Health or his designee will serve as 7 the chairperson of the advisory committee and may select a 8 secretary, who need not be a member of the advisory committee. 9 (f) Members who are not employes of State government shall 10 be reimbursed for travel and other actual expenses reasonably 11 incurred in the performance of their duties. 12 (g) The advisory committee shall meet no less than twice 13 annually. Nine members of the advisory committee shall 14 constitute a quorum for the purpose of exercising all of the 15 powers of the advisory committee. A vote of the majority of the 16 members present shall be sufficient for all actions of the 17 advisory committee. 18 (h) This section shall expire December 31, 2013. 19 Section 2127. Stroke Data Collection.--The Department of 20 Health shall establish and maintain a State-wide stroke database 21 that compiles stroke care information and statistics relating to 22 strokes in this Commonwealth and shall make information and 23 statistics available to the public on the Department of Health's 24 Internet website. The Department of Health shall not be required 25 to collect data for this database that is already required to be 26 collected by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment 27 Council. To every extent possible, the Department of Health 28 shall coordinate with the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost 29 Containment Council to avoid duplication and redundancy. In 30 establishing this database the Department of Health shall use 20080S1343B1899 - 4 -
1 its annual survey of hospitals to collect aggregate information 2 by hospital on the Joint Commission of Accreditation of 3 Healthcare Organizations Primary Stroke Centers Standardized 4 Stroke Measure Set used, as a measurement of best practice for 5 stroke care. 6 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. C17L71JS/20080S1343B1899 - 5 -