BILL NUMBER: S8719

SPONSOR: SAVINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to directing the commissioner of health to conduct a
study of the delivery of ambulatory care on Staten Island

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation intent is to clarify notification of a community diag-
nostic and treatment center during a pandemic and or under general
circumstance.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The commissioner of health shall conduct a study to the
delivery of primary care. Urgent care, and commonly used ambulatory
health care services on Staten Island, including the current situation
and expected trends for the future. Entities to be studied shall include
clinics operating within or sponsored by pharmacies and other retail
              

businesses (retail clinics), ambulatory health care offices open for
extended hours without an appointment (urgent care centers), and major
ambulatory health care practices (whether in one location or multiple
locations) whose health care professionals are linked directly or indi-
rectly in an economic relationship, federally qualified health centers,
community health centers, general hospital ambulatory care clinics, and
other ambulatory care centers, Entities to be studied shall not include
ambulatory surgery centers or office-based surgery practices.

b. The study shall examine the impact of the respective entities on the
delivery, quality, accessibility, and cost of ambulatory care on Staten
Island. The commissioner shall make recommendations to improve the
delivery, quality, accessibility, and cost of the full range of ambula-
tory health care services required by the community.

c. during the study the operator of a clinic, urgent care, or such major
ambulatory health care practice shall give a 30-day notice to the
department and locally elected official before closure, relocation or
decertification.

d. The commissioner of health shall report and publish on the department
of health's website, and transmit the commissioner's findings and recom-
mendations to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the minority
leader of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate and the
minority leader of the senate on or before one year from the date this
act shall take effect.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Due to the fact that there are no public hospitals located on Staten
Island that don't have access to public hospitals, many residents rely
on clinics, urgent care, and ambulatory health care for a wide variety
of medical services, including physicals, injury related and illness
diagnosis and care, rapid lab tests and screening, pediatric care and
women's wellness needs for some of the most vulnerable residents.

During the current escalation of this healthcare crisis there is a need
for an in-depth study regarding delivery of accessible and affordable
healthcare to areas that lack efficient public healthcare facility. For
accountability purposed the process for which these facilities are
temporarily or permanently closing can only be construed as a dangerous
disservice to surrounding communities. Having residents who may be
elderly or lack reliable transportation to travel to another facility
during heightened social distancing, stay at home orders or any other
circumstance is detrimental to the well-being of all New York residents.
Therefore, there is a need for operators to sufficiently notify the
department and locally elected officials before a closure, relocation or
decertification.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.