23-43 Stroke Centers and Care
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<![CDATA[CHAPTER 23-43STROKE CENTERS AND CARE23-43-01. Primary stroke centers.1.Effective January 1, 2010, the state department of health shall designate qualified<br>hospitals as primary stroke centers. A hospital seeking designation as a primary<br>stroke center shall apply to the department for that designation and shall<br>demonstrate to the department that the hospital meets the applicable criteria<br>established by the department.2.The criteria established by the department for designation as a primary stroke center<br>must include a requirement that the hospital be certified as a primary stroke center<br>by the joint commission on accreditation of health care organizations or by a similar<br>accrediting or certifying organization possessing hospital standards recognized<br>nationally by the health care industry and accepted by the department.3.The department may suspend or revoke a hospital's designation as a primary stroke<br>center, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, if the department determines the<br>hospital is not in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.4.Annually, the state department of health shall provide a list of hospitals designated<br>as primary stroke centers to each emergency medical services operation licensed in<br>this state.The department shall post to the department's web site a list of thehospitals designated as primary stroke centers.23-43-02. Stroke system of care task force.1.The state department of health shall establish a stroke system of care task force.<br>The purpose of the task force is to encourage and ensure the establishment of an<br>effective stroke system of care throughout the state. The state health officer, or the<br>officer's designee, shall serve on the task force.The state health officer shallappoint members to the task force who represent rural hospitals, physicians who<br>treat patients in rural areas, and members representing emergency medical services<br>operations that provide services in rural areas of the state. Members of the task<br>force serve at the pleasure of the state health officer.2.Before April 1, 2010, the stroke system of care task force shall provide the state<br>department of health with recommendations regarding the establishment of an<br>effective stroke system of care in the rural areas of this state.The initialrecommendations must include:a.Protocols for the triage, stabilization, and appropriate routing of stroke patients<br>by emergency medical services operations in rural areas; andb.A plan to provide for coordination and communication between rural hospitals,<br>primary stroke centers, and other support services in order to assure that<br>residents of all regions of the state have access to effective and efficient stroke<br>care.3.Thestatehealthcouncilmayadoptrules,basedonthetaskforce'srecommendations.23-43-03. Stroke triage - Emergency medical services.1.Before January 1, 2011, the state department of health shall adopt a nationally<br>recognized standardized stroke-triage assessment tool. The department shall post<br>this standardized stroke-triage assessment tool to the department's website andPage No. 1shall provide a copy to each emergency medical services operation licensed in this<br>state.As a term of licensure under chapter 23-27, each licensed emergencymedical services operation shall adopt and implement a stroke-triage assessment<br>tool that is substantially similar to the standardized stroke-triage assessment tool<br>adopted by the department.2.The department shall work with the stroke task force to establish protocols related to<br>the assessment, treatment, and transport of stroke patients by emergency medical<br>services operations licensed by the state.The protocols may include regionaltransport plans for the triage and transport of stroke patients to the closest, most<br>appropriate facility, including the bypass of health care facilities not designated as<br>primary stroke centers when it is safe to do so.3.Effective April 1, 2012, each emergency medical services operation licensed under<br>chapter 23-27 shall comply with this chapter.23-43-04. Reports. Semiannually, each hospital designated as a primary stroke centershall provide the state department of health a report on the center's quality initiatives. The data<br>in the report is an exempt record and is not subject to the state's open records law. However, the<br>department shall make the data in these reports available to state and local government entities<br>that have responsibility for the management and administration of emergency medical services<br>throughout the state. Annually, the department shall compile the report data in aggregate form<br>as a report card and post this report card to the department's website. The results of this report<br>card may be used by the department to conduct training.23-43-05. Standard of care. This chapter is not a medical practice guideline and maynot be used to restrict the authority of a hospital to provide services for which the hospital has<br>been licensed. This chapter must be interpreted to recognize that all patients should be treated<br>individually based on each patient's needs and circumstances.23-43-06. Advertisement. A person may not advertise to the public that a hospital is aprimary stroke center unless the hospital has been designated as such under this chapter.Page No. 2Document Outlinechapter 23-43 stroke centers and care]]>