House Bill 1094

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-59-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE HEART ATTACK AND STROKE ACUTE CARE SYSTEM TO REDUCE DEATH AND DISABILITY RESULTING FROM ACUTE HEART ATTACK AND STROKE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 41-59-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-59-5. (1) The State Board of Health shall establish and maintain a program for the improvement and regulation of emergency medical services (hereinafter EMS) in the State of Mississippi. The responsibility for implementation and conduct of this program shall be vested in the State Health Officer of the State Board of Health along with such other officers and boards as may be specified by law or regulation.

(2) The board shall provide for the regulation and licensing of public and private ambulance service, inspection and issuance of permits for ambulance vehicles, training and certification of EMS personnel, including drivers and attendants, the development and maintenance of a statewide EMS records program, development and adoption of EMS regulations, the coordination of an EMS communications system, and other related EMS activities.

(3) The board may promulgate and enforce such rules, regulations and minimum standards as needed to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(4) The board may receive any funds appropriated to the board from the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund created in Section 41-59-61 and may, with the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council acting in an advisory capacity, * * * administer the disbursement of those funds to the counties, municipalities and organized emergency medical service districts and the utilization of those funds by the same, as provided in Section 41-59-61.

(5) (a) The department acting as the lead agency, in consultation with and having solicited advice from the EMS Advisory Council, shall develop a uniform nonfragmented inclusive statewide trauma care system that provides excellent patient care. It is the intent of the Legislature that the purpose of this system is to reduce death and disability resulting from traumatic injury, and in order to accomplish this goal, it is necessary to assign additional responsibilities to the department. The department is assigned the responsibility for creating, implementing and managing the statewide trauma care system. The department shall be designated as the lead agency for trauma care systems development. The department shall develop and administer trauma regulations that include, but are not limited to, the Mississippi Trauma Care System Plan, trauma system standards, trauma center designations, field triage, interfacility trauma transfer, EMS aero medical transportation, trauma data collection, trauma care system evaluation and management of state trauma systems funding. The department shall take the necessary steps to develop, adopt and implement the Mississippi Trauma Care System Plan and all associated trauma care system regulations necessary to implement the Mississippi trauma care system. The department shall cause the implementation of both professional and lay trauma education programs. These trauma educational programs shall include both clinical trauma education and injury prevention. As it is recognized that rehabilitation services are essential for traumatized individuals to be returned to active, productive lives, the department shall coordinate the development of the inclusive trauma system with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services and all other appropriate rehabilitation systems.

(b) The State Board of Health may receive any funds appropriated to the board from the Mississippi Trauma Care System Fund created in Section 41-59-75. In addition, the board, with the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council and the Mississippi Trauma Advisory Committee acting in advisory capacities, may administer the disbursements of those funds according to adopted trauma care system regulations.

(7) (a) The department acting as the lead agency, in consultation with and having solicited advice from the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, shall develop a uniform nonfragmented inclusive statewide heart attack and stroke acute care system that provides excellent patient care. It is the intent of the Legislature that the purpose of this system is to reduce death and disability resulting from acute heart attack and stroke, and in order to accomplish this goal, it is necessary to assign additional responsibilities to the department. The department is assigned the responsibility for creating, implementing and managing the statewide heart attack and stroke acute care system. The department shall be designated as the lead agency for heart attack and stroke acute care systems development. The department shall develop and administer heart attack and stroke acute care regulations that include, but are not limited to, the Mississippi Heart Attack and Stroke Acute Care System Plan, heart attack and stroke acute care system standards, heart attack and stroke acute care center designations, field triage, interfacility heart attack and stroke transfer, EMS aero medical transportation, heart attack and stroke data collection, heart attack and stroke acute care system evaluation and management of any heart attack and stroke acute care systems funding. The department shall take the necessary steps to develop, adopt and implement the Mississippi Heart Attack and Stroke Acute Care System Plan and all associated heart attack and stroke acute care system regulations necessary to implement the Mississippi heart attack and stroke acute care system. The department shall cause the implementation of both professional and lay heart attack and stroke education programs. These heart attack and stroke educational programs shall include both clinical heart attack and stroke education and risk factor prevention. As it is recognized that rehabilitation services are essential for heart attack and stroke survivors to be returned to active, productive lives, the department shall coordinate the development of the inclusive heart attack and stroke acute care system with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services and all other appropriate rehabilitation systems.

(b) The State Board of Health may receive any state, federal, and private funds made available for the heart attack and stroke acute care system. In addition, the board, with the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council and the Mississippi Task Force on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention acting in advisory capacities, may administer the disbursements of those funds according to adopted heart attack and stroke acute care system regulations.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.