Senate Bill sb1938
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 1938
By Senator Joyner
18-1329-07 See HB
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to cardiology services;
3 providing legislative findings and intent;
4 providing definitions; requiring the Department
5 of Health to create a list of percutaneous
6 intervention centers and distribute the list to
7 emergency medical services providers in the
8 state; directing the department to develop and
9 distribute a sample cardiac triage assessment
10 tool; requiring licensed emergency medical
11 services providers to develop and use certain
12 specified protocols; providing duties of the
13 department; requiring a report; providing for
14 meetings; requiring compliance by a certain
15 date; providing an effective date.
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17 WHEREAS, every year, approximately 24,000 people in
18 this state suffer a life-threatening heart attack, one-third
19 of whom die within 24 hours after the attack, and
20 WHEREAS, fewer than 20 percent of heart attack victims
21 receive emergency angioplasty to open blocked arteries, and
22 WHEREAS, studies have shown that individuals suffering
23 a life-threatening heart attack have better outcomes if they
24 receive emergency angioplasty, and
25 WHEREAS, studies have shown that opening a blocked
26 coronary artery with emergency angioplasty within recommended
27 timeframes can effectively prevent or significantly minimize
28 permanent damage to the heart, and
29 WHEREAS, less than twenty percent of all heart attack
30 patients undergo emergency angioplasty procedures, and
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2007 SB 1938
18-1329-07 See HB
1 WHEREAS, even fewer patients receive the procedure
2 within the timeframe recommended by the American Heart
3 Association, and
4 WHEREAS, damage to the heart muscle can result in
5 death, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and
6 other chronic diseases of the heart, and
7 WHEREAS, organizations such as the American Heart
8 Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the
9 Florida College of Emergency Physicians recommend deploying
10 protocols and systems to help ensure that people suffering
11 from a life-threatening heart attack receive the latest
12 evidence-based care, such as emergency angioplasty, within
13 recommended timeframes, and
14 WHEREAS, Florida's trauma services system and emergency
15 stroke treatment system have dramatically improved the care
16 provided for individuals suffering from a traumatic injury or
17 a stroke, and
18 WHEREAS, a statewide emergency cardiac system can help
19 ensure that people suffering from a life-threatening heart
20 attack will receive the latest evidence-based care within
21 recommended timeframes, NOW, THEREFORE,
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23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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25 Section 1. Emergency medical services providers;
26 triage and transportation of ST elevation myocardial
27 infarction victims to a percutaneous intervention center;
28 definitions.--
29 (1)(a) The Legislature finds that rapid identification
30 and treatment of serious heart attacks known as ST elevation
31 myocardial infarction according to the latest evidence-based
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 1938
18-1329-07 See HB
1 standards can significantly improve outcomes by reducing death
2 and disability by rapidly restoring blood flow to the heart.
3 (b) The Legislature further finds that a strong
4 emergency system to support survival from life-threatening
5 heart attacks is needed in our communities in order to treat
6 victims in a timely manner and to improve the overall care of
7 heart attack victims.
8 (c) Therefore, the Legislature intends to establish a
9 statewide emergency cardiac system to help improve outcomes
10 for individuals suffering from a life-threatening heart
11 attack.
12 (2) As used in this section, the term:
13 (a) "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care
14 Administration.
15 (b) "Department" means the Department of Health.
16 (3) By June 1 of each year, the department shall send
17 a list of the names and addresses of every percutaneous
18 intervention center in the state to the medical director of
19 each licensed emergency medical services provider in the
20 state.
21 (4) The department shall develop a sample cardiac
22 triage assessment tool. The department must post this sample
23 assessment tool on its website and provide a copy of the
24 assessment tool to each licensed emergency medical services
25 provider no later than March 1, 2008.
26 (5) The medical director of each licensed emergency
27 medical services provider shall develop and implement
28 assessment, treatment, and transportation protocols for
29 cardiac patients and employ those protocols to assess, treat,
30 and transport cardiac patients to the most appropriate
31 hospital.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2007 SB 1938
18-1329-07 See HB
1 (6) The department shall develop and provide technical
2 support, equipment recommendations, and necessary training for
3 effective identification of acute ST elevation myocardial
4 infarction patients to the medical directors of each licensed
5 emergency medical services provider. The department shall
6 model the sample cardiac triage assessment tool on the
7 American Heart Association's advanced cardiovascular life
8 support chest pain algorithm for prehospital assessment,
9 triage, and treatment of patients with suspected ST elevation
10 myocardial infarction. The department shall conduct an annual
11 survey of all licensed emergency medical services providers to
12 determine the quality of their equipment, their training
13 requirements, and their performance regarding the practical
14 application of protocols and the identification of acute ST
15 elevation myocardial infarction in the field. The department
16 shall report its survey finding and make the results of the
17 survey available to emergency medical services providers and
18 other stakeholders.
19 (7) The department is encouraged to identify and
20 provide opportunities, partnerships, and resources to secure
21 appropriate equipment for identification of ST elevation
22 myocardial infarction in the field to all licensed emergency
23 medical service providers.
24 (8) The department shall convene stakeholders at least
25 once a year after implementation of the assessment tool to
26 facilitate the sharing of experiences and best practices. The
27 best practices shall be made available on the department's
28 website.
29 (9) Each emergency medical services provider licensed
30 under chapter 401, Florida Statutes, must comply with this
31 section by July 1, 2008.
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 1938
18-1329-07 See HB
1 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.
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