Posted: | February 7, 2019 11:00 AM |
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From: | Senator Thomas H. Killion |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Administration of Anesthesia |
I plan to introduce legislation that would put into statute the Department of Health regulation that currently requires a physician to supervise the administration of anesthesia. Currently, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has jurisdiction under the Healthcare Facilities Act to regulate all activities of healthcare providers in a hospital setting. My legislation will not change current law, but rather, help us continue our Commonwealth’s outstanding record of patient safety concerning the administration of anesthesia. For the past two decades, the mortality rate of anesthesia-related deaths has gone from 1 in 25,000 to 1 in 300,000. I believe that we should continue to ensure patient safety in the operating rooms of our hospitals. The legislation will be similar to Senate Bill 960 of the 2017-2018 Legislative Session which was co-sponsored by the following Senators: Killion, Argall, McGarrigle, Mensch, White, Rafferty and Alloway. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB697