Bill Text: CA AB503 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 503 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Emergency medical services.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 362, Statutes of 2015. [AB503 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB503-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 503	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  362
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 27, 2015
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 31, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 7, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 23, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Rodriguez

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2015

   An act to add Section 1797.122 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to emergency medical services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 503, Rodriguez. Emergency medical services.
   Existing law requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to
develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical
services (EMS) systems that address several components, including,
but not limited to, manpower and training, communications,
transportation, and assessment of hospitals and critical care
centers.
   This bill would authorize a health facility, as defined, to
release patient-identifiable medical information to a defined EMS
provider, a local EMS agency, and the authority, to the extent
specific data elements are requested for quality assessment and
improvement purposes. The bill would also authorize the authority to
develop minimum standards for the implementation of this data
collection.


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

  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage data
sharing between emergency medical services providers and hospitals in
order to improve system effectiveness, quality of care, and the
impact of emergency medical services on death and disability.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1797.122 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   1797.122.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a health facility as
defined in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1250 may release
patient-identifiable medical information under the following
circumstances:
   (1) To an EMS provider, information regarding a patient who was
treated, or transported to the hospital by, that EMS provider, to the
extent that specific data elements are requested for quality
assessment and improvement purposes.
   (2) To the authority or the local EMS agency, to the extent that
specific data elements are requested for quality assessment and
improvement purposes.
   (b) An EMS provider, local EMS agency, and the authority shall
request only those data elements that are minimally necessary in
compliance with Section 164.502 (b) and Section 164.514 (d) of Title
45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
   (c) The authority may develop minimum standards for the
implementation of data collection for system operation, patient
outcome, and performance quality improvement.
   (d) For purposes of this section, "EMS provider" means an
organization employing an Emergency Medical Technician-I, Advanced
Emergency Medical Technician, Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic,
registered nurse, or physician for the delivery of emergency medical
care to the sick and injured at the scene of an emergency, during
transport, or during an interfacility transfer.