* § 2804-a. State task force on clinical practice guidelines and
medical technology assessment.

1. A state task force is hereby created on clinical practice
guidelines and medical technology assessment which shall consist of
sixteen members. At least half of the membership shall be physicians
certified by specialty society boards officially recognized by the
American Board of Medical Specialties. Such physician board members
shall be selected from nominees recommended by specialty societies
recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Appointments
shall be made as follows: six shall be appointed by the governor of
which at least two shall be from specialty society nominees; four shall
be appointed by the temporary president of the senate of which at least
two shall be from specialty society nominees; four shall be appointed by
the speaker of the assembly of which at least two shall be from
specialty society nominees; and one each shall be appointed by the
minority leaders of the senate and assembly both of whom shall be
specialty society nominees. The commissioner shall also serve as an ex
officio member of the task force. The membership of the task force shall
appoint a chairperson who shall be selected by a majority vote of the
task force membership. All appointments shall be made by April first,
nineteen hundred ninety-four.

2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
the following meanings: (a) "clinical practice guidelines" shall mean
systematically developed statements to assist physician and patient
decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical
circumstances; and

(b) "medical technology" shall mean an instrument or unit of equipment
or technique for use as a health related treatment, testing or
diagnostic tool.

3. Task force members shall receive no compensation but shall be
reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
duties.

4. The task force may establish medical specialty advisory committees
to assist in carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this section.

5. The task force shall solicit the cooperation and participation of
medical specialty organizations recognized by the American Board of
Medical Specialties with clinical practice guideline experience. The
state task force shall meet as necessary to fulfill its
responsibilities.

6. The task force, in consultation with the commissioner, shall
solicit specific research and/or project proposals from medical
specialty societies recognized by the American Board of Medical
Specialties to promote the development and application of clinical
practice guidelines and appropriate use of medical technology.
Speciality societies, at their option, may incorporate the involvement
of any other organization which they deem appropriate into their
proposal. The task force shall then recommend to the commissioner
specific research projects to be undertaken by such specialty society
candidates for grants and contracts pursuant to subdivision fifteen of
section two hundred six of this chapter. The task force shall not
recommend any projects for the purpose of developing clinical practice
guideline-based reimbursement methodologies or any other regulations.

7. The task force in cooperation with the medical specialty
organizations recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties
shall issue a report to the governor and legislature by May first,
nineteen hundred ninety-five which shall:

(i) describe the current status of practice guidelines, their uses and
their impact on health care delivery and outcomes;

(ii) identify appropriate uses of practice guidelines and medical
technology for purposes of improving health care quality and efficiency;

(iii) identify inappropriate uses or applications of practice guide-
lines and medical technology;

(iv) identify by what means the uses of practice guidelines should be
facilitated, if appropriate or warranted; and

(v) identify what role, if any, state government should have relative
to practice guidelines.

8. Staff of the department shall be made available to provide
technical assistance to the task force as necessary.

* NB Expired June 30, 1996