Bill Text: CA AB1621 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Emergency medical services: data and information system.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-08-14 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB1621 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB1621-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1621	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 21, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Lowenthal and Rodriguez

                        FEBRUARY 6, 2014

   An act to add Section 1797.119 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to emergency medical services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1621, as amended, Lowenthal. Emergency medical services: data
and information system.
   Existing law, the Emergency Medical Services System and the
Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act, governs local
emergency medical service systems. The act establishes the Emergency
Medical Services Authority, which is responsible for the coordination
and integration of all state agencies concerning emergency medical
services. Existing law also creates the Commission on Emergency
Medical Services, and requires the commission to perform various
duties regarding the authority and emergency medical services.
   Existing law requires the authority to develop planning and
implementation guidelines for emergency medical services systems that
address data collection and evaluation, among other things. Existing
law requires the commission to review and approve regulations,
standards, and guidelines developed by the authority.
   This bill would require the authority to develop and adopt minimum
standards for maintaining and implementing a State Emergency Medical
Services Data and Information System (SEMSDIS), which would include,
among other things, data and information relating to prehospital
care and specialty care, for purposes of determining and monitoring
the quality and effectiveness of the statewide emergency medical
system.  The bill would require the authority to develop
guidelines and standards for local emergency medical services
agencies and local prehospital emergency medical services providers'
electronic patient care record systems to ensure compatibility with
SEMSDIS.  The bill would require emergency medical services
providers and hospitals that receive emergency medical services
patients to perform specified tasks concerning SEMSDIS. The bill
would require the authority to comply with its provisions on or
before  January   J   uly  1,
2016.  The bill would require the authority to post proposed
rules and to notify the public with regard to commenting on the
proposed rules, as specified. 
   The bill would also require local EMS agencies to submit specified
information to the authority. By imposing new duties on local
officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 

   The bill would provide that all of the above provisions and any
rules or regulations adopted pursuant to those provisions would only
be implemented to the extent that funds are made available through an
appropriation in the annual budget act. 
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1797.119 is added to the Health and Safety
Code, to read:
   1797.119.  (a) (1)  The   In order to fulfill
the authority's responsibility to assess emergency medical services
and their effectiveness as required by Section 1797.102, the 
authority shall develop a State Emergency Medical Services Data and
Information System (SEMSDIS), and, after approval by the commission,
adopt minimum standards for maintaining and implementing SEMSDIS.
   (2) SEMSDIS shall include, but not be limited to, data and
information relating to prehospital care and specialty care.
   (3) The purpose of SEMSDIS shall be to determine and monitor the
quality and effectiveness of the statewide emergency medical system.
   (4) The authority shall comply with this section on or before July
1, 2016. 
   (b) (1) The authority shall develop guidelines and standards for
local emergency medical services agencies and local prehospital
emergency medical services providers' electronic patient care record
systems to ensure compatibility with SEMSDIS, including, but not
limited to, a common data dictionary, integration of first responder
data and transport provider data, and patient outcome data,
consistent with current national standards and privacy requirements
in state and federal law.  
   (2) The authority shall consult with stakeholders in the
development of standards and SEMSDIS, including air ambulance
providers and other entities not included in the California
Commission on Emergency Medical Services membership.  
   (b) Emergency 
    (c)     Prehospital emergency  medical
services providers shall do all of the following concerning SEMSDIS:

   (1) Implement the electronic collection of prehospital care
reports using standard procedures, definitions, and interoperable
coding as adopted by the authority in the minimum standards described
in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a)  and paragraph (1) of
subdivision (b)  . For purposes of this paragraph, "prehospital
care reports" include, but are not limited to, documentation of the
event, incident, or medical condition precipitating the need for
emergency medical services, the treatment provided, and the patient's
medical history. 
   (2) Transmit, at the scene of an emergency or during the transport
of the patient to the destination hospital, patient health
information, including, but not limited to, the patient's approximate
age, body type, and vital statistics, to the destination hospital.
 
   (3) 
    (2)  Submit completed electronic patient care reports to
the local EMS agency in a timely manner. 
   (c)  Hospitals receiving emergency medical services patients shall
do both of the following concerning SEMSDIS:  
   (1) Include local EMS agencies in health information exchange
development with the objective of exchanging critical patient data
with emergency medical services providers through an electronic
interface with the hospital's electronic health records. 

   (2) Provide patient disposition information to the local EMS
agency for the purpose of quality improvement. For purposes of this
paragraph, "patient disposition information" includes, but is not
limited to, the diagnosis of the patient's condition and any
treatment provided. 
   (d) Local EMS agencies shall submit patient information 
consistent with the requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a)
and paragraph (1) of subdivision (b),  to the authority in a
timely manner, using national standards when available. 
   (e) The authority, in order to exercise the powers and perform the
duties conferred upon it by this chapter, and in accordance with
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of the Government Code, shall adopt, amend, or repeal any rules,
regulations, or standards as may be necessary.  
   (f) The authority shall post any proposed rules promulgated under
this section on its public Internet Web site no later than 90
calendar days prior to the effective date of the proposed rule, which
shall also include notification to the public regarding how members
of the public may comment, including the date by which those comments
must be received in order to be considered by the authority. 

   (g) This section and any rules and regulations promulgated
pursuant to this section shall only be implemented to the extent that
funds are made available through an appropriation in the annual
Budget Act. 
  SEC. 2.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.