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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creation of the Texas Health Improvement Network. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 2, Health & Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 172 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 172. Texas Health Improvement Network |
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Sec. 172.001. PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Health Improvement |
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Network (THIN) is established as a network of diverse health |
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professionals dedicated to developing initiatives and translating |
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research on population health into health policy and best practices |
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to address urgent health challenges in Texas and the nation. |
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(b) The network shall achieve the following goals to improve |
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the health system: |
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(1) reduce the per capita costs of health care; |
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(2) improve the individual experience of care |
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(including quality and patient satisfaction); and |
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(3) improve the health of Texas. |
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Sec. 172.002. NETWORK. (a) The network consists of |
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participating faculty at public and private Texas institutions of |
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higher education, in addition to participating state and |
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local |
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health agencies. Participating faculty must include faculty of |
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both general academic and health-related institutions. |
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(b) The network shall seek to include faculty that |
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represents not only the traditional public health and medical |
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fields, but also expertise on mental health, nursing, pharmacy, |
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social work, health economics, health policy and law, epidemiology, |
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biostatistics, health informatics, health services research, |
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engineering and computer science. |
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(c) The network shall focus on evaluating and eliminating |
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health disparities in Texas, including the racial or ethnic, |
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geographic, and income- or education-related disparities. |
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(d) The network shall also focus on healthcare |
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cost-containment and the economic analysis of health policy. |
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Sec. 172.003. ADVISORY COUNCIL. An advisory council shall |
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be established for the network that includes both Texas and |
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national thought leaders in population health. The advisory |
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council must include expertise in traditional public health and |
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medical fields, as well as leaders in the fields of behavior health, |
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business, insurance, philanthropy, education, health law, and |
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policy. |
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Sec. 172.004. PROJECTS. (a) From funds appropriated for |
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purposes of the network, the network shall fund demonstration and |
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pilot projects using an established, peer-reviewed award process. |
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(b) The network shall fund internships and other |
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educational programs to prepare population health care workforce. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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the vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |