BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                      



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                   AB 491|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 491
          Author:   Ma (D), et al
          Amended:  8/24/12 in Senate
          Vote:     27 - Urgency

           
          PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT


           SUBJECT  :    General acute care hospitals:  cardiac 
          catheterization

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :   This bill allows no more than 25 percent of 
          cardiac catheterization laboratory inpatient services to be 
          performed in an appropriately equipped and staffed 
          outpatient setting.

           Senate Floor Amendments  of 8/24/12 delete the prior version 
          of the bill, regarding public roads and fire suppression.  
          The bill now addresses general acute care hospitals and 
          cardiac catheterization.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

          1. Provides for the licensure and regulation of health 
             facilities, including general acute care hospitals, 
             administered by the Department of Public Health (DPH).  
             A violation of these provisions is a crime.
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          2. Authorizes DPH to approve, as prescribed, a general 
             acute care hospital to offer specified special services, 
             including, but not limited to, cardiac catheterization 
             laboratory services, in addition to the basic services 
             offered under the facility's license.

          The bill:

          1. Delete the requirement that a cardiac catheterization 
             laboratory service be located in a general acute care 
             hospital.

          2. Permit cardiac catheterization laboratory services, 
             beginning on March 1, 2013, to be expanded by a general 
             acute care hospital to include cardiac catheterization 
             space that is in conformance with applicable building 
             code standards, including those promulgated by the 
             Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development 
             (OSHPD), as long as all of the following occur:

             A.    The expanded laboratory space is located in the 
                building so that the space is connected by an 
                enclosed all-weather passageway that is accessible 
                by staff and patients who are accompanied by staff;

             B.    The service performs no more than 25 percent of 
                its procedures on hospital inpatients; and,

             C.    The service complies with all policies and 
                procedures approved by hospital medical staff, and 
                all standards and regulations prescribed by DPH, 
                including applicable nurse-to-patient ratios, and 
                with all standards and regulations prescribed by 
                OSHPD. 

             D.    Requires emergency regulations permitting a 
                general acute care hospital to operate a cardiac 
                catheterization laboratory service to be adopted by 
                DPH and OSHPD by February 28, 2013.

             E.    Requires cardiac catheterization laboratory 
                services to be reviewed by OSHPD for compliance 
                with the OSHPD 3 requirements of the most recent 







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                version of the California Building Standards Code.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes   
          Local:  Yes


          CTW:d  8/27/12   Senate Floor Analyses 

                       SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  NONE RECEIVED

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