CREATE GOV'S COMMISSION ON PATIENT SAFETY

House Bill 4272

Sponsor: Rep. Stephen Ehardt

Committee: Health Policy

Complete to 3-28-03

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4272 AS INTRODUCED 2-25-03

 

The bill would add a new section to the Public Health Code to create the "Governor's Commission on Patient Safety" in the Department of Community Health to study the causes of medical errors committed in health facilities and in private practice and to review information from other patient safety initiatives.

Consultation and input. The commission would be required to consult with or seek input from the public and all of the following organizations (or their successor organizations):

·              the Michigan [Health and] Hospital Association;

·              the Michigan State Medical Society;

·              the Michigan Osteopathic Association;

·              the Emergency Physicians Association;

·              the Michigan Nurses Association;

·              the Emergency Nurses Association;

·              the Michigan Association of Emergency Medical Technicians;

·              the Michigan Pharmacists Association;

·              the Michigan Society for Clinical Laboratory Science;

·              the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants;

·              the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management;

·              the Michigan Association of Health Plans;

·              the American Society of Clinical Pathologists;

·              the Michigan Physical Therapy Association;

·              the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association;

·              the American Dietetics Association;

·              the National Association of Social Workers, Michigan Chapter;

·              the Mental Health Association of Michigan;

·              the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association;

·              the Health Care Association of Michigan;

·              the Michigan Association for Local Public Health;

·              the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization;

·              the Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists; and

·              the Michigan Home Health Association.

Commission operation. Members of the commission would be appointed for one-year terms. The commission would have to meet and appoint a chairperson within 30 days after all its members were appointed, and subsequently would meet at the call of the chair or the request of a majority of the commission. A majority of the commission would constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Commission business would have to be conducted in public (and public notice of the time, date, and place of commission meetings would have to be given) in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. Commission records (writings "prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by [the commission] in the performance of an official function") would have to be made available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act.

Report. Within one year after being appointed by the governor, the commission would have to issue a written report containing both recommendations for improvements in medical practice and a system for reducing medical errors in health facilities and private practice.

MCL 333.20188

 

Analyst: J. Caver

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.