BILL NUMBER:S2514

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring hospitals to
establish and utilize procedural medical checklists for the provision of
all intensive care unit
medical procedures

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill will improve patient health and reduce system-wide health
care costs by requiring the use of a proven patient safety checklist
in intensive care unit (ICU) medical procedures.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Bill §1 adds a new subdivision 11 to §2803 of the Public Health Law,
providing that the Commissioner of Health shall by role or regulation
require every hospital to establish, utilize and complete a checklist
for each ICU medical procedure occurring at such hospital. Such
checklists shall be designed and used for the purposes of reducing
infections and related illnesses, improving the health and safety of
patients, and ensuring that the necessary equipment, supplies,
facilities and personnel are available for the conduct of the ICU
              

procedure. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated within 180
days of the subdivision's effective date.

EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER:

New York State currently has no statutory or regulatory provisions
requiring the use of patient safety checklists in conducting ICU
medical procedures.

JUSTIFICATION:

Health care associated infections (HAIs) are one of the top ten
leading causes of death in the United States, and they are estimated
to add hundreds of millions of donors to the costs of healthcare.
Central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs)
can occur as a result of catheterization of patients in intensive
care -- they are estimated to account for
15% of the roughly 1.7 million HAIs in the United States, but as
many as 30%of the 99,000 annual infection-related deaths.

Most CLABSIs can be prevented through the use of a straightforward
patient safety checklist that has been proven to be successful in
the field. In a recent Michigan study, use of the checklist resulted
in a 66% reduction in CLABSIs, reflected in an estimated savings of
1500 lives and $200 million in the first 18 months.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is calling on
hospitals to use this basic tool to reduce central line infections in
ICUs by 75% over the next three years. However, many hospitals have
not yet adopted the checklist. This bill will ensure that patients


receive the same high-quality health care regardless of which
hospital in New York State provides their treatment.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately.