Assembly Bill A10494

                                BILL NUMBER:A10494

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring hospi-
tals 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 check-
lists 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 person-
nel 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:

New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately.