Bill Text: FL S1418 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Pediatric Care in Hospital Emergency Departments

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2024-03-08 - Died in Health Policy [S1418 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S1418-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1418
       
       
        
       By Senator Harrell
       
       
       
       
       
       31-01389A-24                                          20241418__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to pediatric care in hospital
    3         emergency departments; amending s. 395.1012, F.S.;
    4         requiring hospital emergency departments to develop
    5         and implement policies and procedures, conduct
    6         training, record weights in a certain manner,
    7         designate a pediatric emergency care coordinator, and
    8         conduct specified assessments; requiring each hospital
    9         emergency department to submit a specified report to
   10         the Agency for Health Care Administration by specified
   11         dates; amending s. 395.1055, F.S.; requiring the
   12         agency to adopt certain rules for comprehensive
   13         emergency management plans, and, in consultation with
   14         the Florida Emergency Medical Services for Children
   15         State Partnership Program, establish minimum standards
   16         for pediatric patient care in hospital emergency
   17         departments; amending s. 408.05, F.S.; requiring the
   18         agency to collect and publish the results of specified
   19         assessments submitted by hospitals by specified dates;
   20         providing an effective date.
   21          
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 395.1012,
   25  Florida Statutes, to read:
   26         395.1012 Patient safety.—
   27         (5)(a)Each hospital with an emergency department must:
   28         1.Develop and implement policies and procedures for
   29  pediatric patient care in the emergency department which reflect
   30  evidence-based best practices relating to, at a minimum:
   31         a.Triage.
   32         b.Measuring and recording vital signs.
   33         c.Weighing and recording weights in kilograms.
   34         d.Calculating medication dosages.
   35         e.Use of pediatric instruments.
   36         2.Conduct training at least annually on the policies and
   37  procedures developed under this subsection. The training must
   38  include, at a minimum:
   39         a.The use of pediatric instruments, as applicable to each
   40  licensure type, using clinical simulation as defined in s.
   41  464.003.
   42         b.Drills that simulate emergency situations. Each
   43  department must conduct drills at least annually.
   44         (b)Each hospital emergency department must:
   45         1.Designate a pediatric emergency care coordinator. The
   46  pediatric emergency care coordinator must be a physician
   47  licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459, or a nurse licensed
   48  under chapter 464. The pediatric emergency care coordinator is
   49  responsible for implementation and enforcement of the policies
   50  and procedures adopted under this subsection.
   51         2.Conduct the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment
   52  developed by the National Pediatric Readiness Project, in
   53  accordance with timelines established by the National Pediatric
   54  Readiness Project. Each hospital emergency department shall
   55  submit a report with the results of the assessment to the agency
   56  by December 31, 2026, and annually each December 31 during which
   57  the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment is conducted
   58  thereafter.
   59         Section 2. Present subsections (4) through (19) of section
   60  395.1055, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
   61  through (20), respectively, a new subsection (4) is added to
   62  that section, and paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of that
   63  section is amended, to read:
   64         395.1055 Rules and enforcement.—
   65         (1) The agency shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1)
   66  and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this part, which shall
   67  include reasonable and fair minimum standards for ensuring that:
   68         (c) A comprehensive emergency management plan is prepared
   69  and updated annually. Such standards must be included in the
   70  rules adopted by the agency after consulting with the Division
   71  of Emergency Management. At a minimum, the rules must provide
   72  for plan components that address emergency evacuation
   73  transportation; adequate sheltering arrangements; postdisaster
   74  activities, including emergency power, food, and water;
   75  postdisaster transportation; supplies; staffing; emergency
   76  equipment; individual identification of residents and transfer
   77  of records, and responding to family inquiries, and the needs of
   78  pediatric and neonatal patients. The comprehensive emergency
   79  management plan is subject to review and approval by the local
   80  emergency management agency. During its review, the local
   81  emergency management agency shall ensure that the following
   82  agencies, at a minimum, are given the opportunity to review the
   83  plan: the Department of Elderly Affairs, the Department of
   84  Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and the
   85  Division of Emergency Management. Also, appropriate volunteer
   86  organizations must be given the opportunity to review the plan.
   87  The local emergency management agency shall complete its review
   88  within 60 days and either approve the plan or advise the
   89  facility of necessary revisions.
   90         (4)The agency, in consultation with the Florida Emergency
   91  Medical Services for Children State Partnership Program, shall
   92  adopt rules that establish minimum standards for pediatric
   93  patient care in hospital emergency departments, including, but
   94  not limited to, availability and immediate access to pediatric
   95  specific equipment and supplies.
   96         Section 3. Paragraph (n) is added to subsection (3) of
   97  section 408.05, Florida Statutes, to read:
   98         408.05 Florida Center for Health Information and
   99  Transparency.—
  100         (3) HEALTH INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY.—In order to
  101  disseminate and facilitate the availability of comparable and
  102  uniform health information, the agency shall perform the
  103  following functions:
  104         (n)1.Collect the results of National Pediatric Readiness
  105  Assessments submitted by hospitals pursuant to s. 395.1012(5).
  106         2.By April 1, 2027, and annually each April 1 during which
  107  the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment is conducted
  108  thereafter, publish the overall assessment score for each
  109  hospital emergency department, and provide a comparison to the
  110  national average score when it becomes available.
  111         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

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