Report Title:

Health Care Services

 

Description:

Allows the Hawaii health care system corporation to enhance the community network of health care facilities throughout the State by building on the strengths of the individuals facilities, designing services more suited to meet the health care needs of the specific communities in a timely fashion, and maintaining quality standards of care. (SD1)

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1133

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 323F-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) Each regional committee shall sit in an advisory capacity to the chief executive officer on matters concerning the formulation of regional operational and capital improvement budgets, [and] the planning, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of public health facilities within its respective jurisdiction, and the substantial modification, decrease, or increase in the scope or type of health care services rendered by the public health facilities within its respective jurisdiction and shall sit in an advisory capacity to the governor on matters concerning the nominees for positions on the corporation board. Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding or preventing the committees from coordinating their efforts and activities with the facility administrators within their counties."

SECTION 2. Section 323F-31, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§323F-31[]] Maintenance of services. (a) The corporation shall notify the legislature of any planned [substantial reduction or elimination of direct patient care services.] closing of a facility. Each regional public health facility management advisory committee shall:

(1) Evaluate the health care services being provided by the public health facilities within its jurisdiction and the service capacity of those facilities;

(2) Consider the cost of providing public health services and the availability of alternatives to the current way of providing health care services;

(3) Hold community meetings to discuss community public health service needs, to assess existing health care services and facilities, and to develop ways of providing health care services to meet community needs in the most cost-effective manner;

(4) Develop for each public health facility within its jurisdiction recommendations for the types of health care services to be rendered at each facility with access to alternative health care services and facilities that will result in minimal reduction or elimination of patient care services; and

(5) Submit its recommendations to the chief executive officer.

(b) [No] Prior to implementing a substantial reduction or elimination of direct patient care services at any facility [shall be undertaken by], the corporation [without the approval of the legislature.] board shall:

(1) Seek the recommendation of the regional public health facility management advisory committee for the facility as provided in subsection (a); and

(2) Obtain the approval of the director.

[(c) The legislature shall maintain review and oversight authority over the provision of direct patient care services provided at each facility and may intervene to counter or restrict any substantial reduction or elimination of patient care services.]

(c) No closing of any facility shall be undertaken by the corporation board without the approval of the legislature."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.