The Florida Senate

381.0408  Public Health Partnership Council on Stroke.--There is created the Public Health Partnership Council on Stroke, which shall be responsible for making available state-of-the-art information on stroke education, prevention, and treatment to the public and to health care providers.

(1)  Specific duties of the council shall include:

(a)  Developing and implementing a comprehensive statewide public education program on stroke prevention, targeted to high-risk populations and to geographic areas where there is a high incidence of stroke, which includes information on:

1.  Healthy lifestyle practices that reduce the risk of stroke.

2.  Information on the signs and symptoms of stroke and the action to be taken when these signs occur.

3.  The determinants of high-quality health care for stroke.

4.  Other information that the council deems appropriate to include in a public education program.

(b)  Adopting and disseminating to primary care physicians state-of-the-art practice guidelines that address appropriate screening guidelines, the risk factors for stroke, and the early signs of and treatment strategies for stroke.

(c)  Adopting and disseminating to physicians and emergency health care providers state-of-the-art practice guidelines in the initial treatment of stroke.

(d)  Adopting and disseminating to physicians and appropriate health care providers state-of-the-art practice guidelines that govern the long-term treatment of stroke.

(e)  Adopting and disseminating to physicians, long-term care providers, and rehabilitation providers state-of-the-art practice guidelines that govern the rehabilitation of stroke patients.

(f)  Taking such other actions that are consistent with the scope and purpose of this section to ensure that the public and health care providers are sufficiently informed with regard to the most effective strategies regarding stroke prevention and that health care providers are aware of the most effective treatment strategies for stroke.

Information disseminated pursuant to this subsection shall be based on a consensus of expert opinion and on scientific literature. The council shall make determinations as to whether this requirement is met, with only those council members who are licensed physicians voting on decisions regarding prevention and treatment. All members may vote on matters concerning public education and methods of information dissemination and on other nonmedical matters.

(2)  The chair of the council shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health. Membership of the council shall include one representative from each of the following:

(a)  Florida Stroke Prevention and Education Coalition.

(b)  Florida Society of Neurology.

(c)  Florida Academy of Family Physicians.

(d)  Florida Association of Emergency Medical Services Medical Directors.

(e)  Florida College of Emergency Physicians.

(f)  Florida Chapter of the American College of Cardiology.

(g)  Florida Neurosurgical Society.

(h)  Florida Vascular Society.

(i)  Florida Geriatric Society.

(j)  Florida Society of Physical Medicine.

(k)  Florida Nurses Association.

(l)  Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities.

(m)  Florida Hospital Association.

(n)  Florida Chapter of the National Stroke Association.

(o)  American Heart Association Florida Affiliate.

(p)  Florida Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

(q)  Florida Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons.

(r)  Florida Association of Broadcasters.

(s)  Florida Department of Health.

(t)  Agency for Health Care Administration.

(u)  The Institute of African American Health.

(v)  The Florida Medical Association.

(w)  The Florida Osteopathic Medical Association.

(x)  The Biotechnology Industry Organization Trade Association.

(3)  The council shall be located for administrative purposes at the Institute for Public Health at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The council shall not be subject to the control, supervision, or direction of the university. The council shall coordinate its activities with the Department of Health's health education and disease prevention programs.

(4)  Members of the advisory council shall receive no compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses, as provided in s. 112.061, while performing their duties under this section.

(5)(a)  The council shall submit a report to the Secretary of Health, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by March 1, 1999, which shall describe the extent to which the council has accomplished the duties specified in subsection (1) and may include such recommendations as the council deems appropriate.

(b)  The Legislature shall review the activities and accomplishments of the council, and any council recommendations, during the 1999 regular legislative session.

History.--s. 1, ch. 97-274.