The Florida Senate

408.02  Practice parameters.--

(1)  The Agency for Health Care Administration shall coordinate the development, endorsement, implementation, and evaluation of scientifically sound, clinically relevant practice parameters in order to reduce unwarranted variation in the delivery of medical treatment, improve the quality of medical care, and promote the appropriate utilization of health care services. "Practice parameters" or "practice guidelines" are defined to mean strategies for patient management that are developed to assist physicians in clinical decisionmaking.

(2)  Every hospital, in conjunction with the hospital medical staff, shall produce outcomes data by diagnosis for each patient treated in the hospital pursuant to the criteria developed under ¹subsection (2). The hospital shall forward such data to the agency in a manner consistent with s. 408.061 on a quarterly basis beginning with the quarter ending June 30, 1994. The report shall also include a description of any practice guideline which has been adopted by the medical staff, as well as outcomes data for persons treated according to such practice guideline. As used in this section, "hospital" means an acute care hospital licensed under chapter 395.

(3)  The agency shall summarize the effectiveness and cost of care outcomes for each diagnosis by hospital, by district, by region, and across the state, as well as by any other grouping which will facilitate the development of clinically relevant practice parameters. The agency shall make the report available to the public and all hospitals throughout the state on an annual basis beginning December 31, 1994. The agency shall also make detail data submitted pursuant to subsection (2) available for analysis by others, subject to protection of confidentiality pursuant to s. 408.061

(4)  The agency, in conjunction with the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Chiropractic Association, the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, the Florida Podiatric Medical Association, and other health professional associations, and in conjunction with the respective boards within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, shall develop and may adopt by rule state practice parameters based on the data received under subsection (3) as well as on nationally developed practice guidelines. However, practice parameters adopted by rule shall not provide grounds for any administrative action. The agency shall prioritize the development of those practice parameters which involve the greatest utilization of resources either because they are the most costly or because they are the most frequently performed. Prior to the development of practice parameters under this subsection, the agency in conjunction with the various health professional associations may proceed with the development of state practice parameters based on nationally developed practice guidelines.

(5)  The agency, in conjunction with the appropriate health professional associations shall develop and may adopt by rule practice parameters for services provided by diagnostic-imaging centers, radiation therapy services, clinical laboratory services, physical therapy services, and comprehensive rehabilitative services.

(6)  The agency, in conjunction with the appropriate health professional associations, shall develop and may adopt, by rule, practice parameters and guidelines for the delivery of mammography services.

(7)  Parameters developed pursuant to this section shall be made available to the public and to all hospitals and health professionals throughout the state.

(8)  Procedures shall be instituted which provide for the periodic review and revision of practice parameters based on the latest outcomes data, research findings, technological advancements, and clinical experiences, at least once every 3 years.

History.--s. 67, ch. 92-33; s. 36, ch. 93-129; s. 22, ch. 95-146; s. 4, ch. 95-188; s. 5, ch. 95-201; s. 16, ch. 2000-209; s. 47, ch. 2001-62.

¹Note.--Former subsection (2) was repealed by s. 22, ch. 95-146.