Bill Text: HI SB2891 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Telehealth.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-04-19 - Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-20-18 9:05AM in conference room 229. [SB2891 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB2891-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2891 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 2 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO TELEHEALTH.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that many residents of Hawaii are unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care and behavioral health care due to shortages of primary, specialty, and behavioral care providers. Vulnerable residents, such as the elderly, experience even greater barriers to provider access. These barriers include issues relating to fixed or limited financial resources, lack of physical mobility or other disability, cognitive impairment, and transportation.
Telehealth is a viable solution to maximize existing local resources and increase patient convenience and compliance. However, the best available data indicates that the use of telehealth is limited in the State. No more than fifteen per cent of practicing providers in the State report a telehealth experience, even though the State has among the most progressive telehealth laws in the nation.
Preliminary findings from the 2017 State Telehealth Summit confirm that provider comfort and patient expectations are the most significant barriers to greater telehealth adoption. Department of health research, including direct observation of strong telehealth programs in other jurisdictions, reveals that staff support is needed to ensure that both the patient and technology are situated correctly for a telehealth encounter. Ideally, staff support should be situated at both the provider's and the patient's location. Support staff for the patient, however, is critical when the patient is in a non-traditional health care setting such as a home, community center, or school.
The purpose of this Act is to fund a pilot project to expose the State's health care providers and patients to the benefits of telehealth. The goals of the project are to increase provider adoption of telehealth, support health care workforce development related to telehealth, and evaluate the clinical and administrative efficacy of various telehealth delivery models.
SECTION 2. (a) The department of health shall implement a telehealth pilot project.
(b) The pilot project shall:
(1) Assist residents at two distinct project sites, both of which shall have a medically underserved area designation by the United States Department of Health and Human Services; provided that one site shall be located in a rural county and the other site shall be located in an urban county;
(2) Utilize telehealth as the primary means to deliver health care; and
(3) Include at least one federally qualified health center or rural health clinic in each project site.
(c) Within six months of the exhaustion of all pilot project funds, the department of health shall make available to the public an evaluation report on pilot project outcomes, including the quality of care, patient satisfaction, training and workforce development issues, and financial sustainability of telehealth activities.
(d) Chapters 103D and 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall not apply to procurements made pursuant to this Act for a period of twelve months following the effective date of this Act; provided that the department of health shall obtain goods and services for this pilot project only in a manner that is cost-effective, provides the most benefit to the pilot program on contractual terms that are most advantageous to the State, and where the period of performance of all procurements does not exceed the term of the pilot project.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for a telehealth pilot project.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
DOH; Telehealth; Pilot Project; Appropriation
Description:
Requires the Department of Health to conduct a telehealth pilot project and publish an evaluation report on the pilot project outcomes. Exempts the pilot project from the State Procurement Code for a period of twelve months. Clarifies that the period of performance of all procurements made during this temporary exemption does not exceed the term of the pilot project. (SB2891 HD2)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
