KRS § 211.575 Statewide system for stroke response and treatment.

211.575 Statewide system for stroke response and treatment. (1) As used in this section, "department" means the Department for Public Health. (2) The Department for Public Health shall establish and implement a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under a statewide system for stroke response and treatment. In implementing the plan, the department shall: (a) Maintain a statewide stroke database to compile information and statistics on stroke care as follows: 1. The database shall align with the stroke consensus metrics developed and approved by the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Joint Commission; 2. The department shall utilize the "Get With The Guidelines-Stroke" quality improvement program maintained by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association or another nationally recognized program that utilizes a data set platform with patient confidentiality standards no less secure than the statewide stroke database established in this paragraph; and 3. Require certified stroke centers as established in KRS 216B.0425 to report to the database each case of stroke seen at the facility. The data shall be reported in a format consistent with nationally recognized guidelines on the treatment of individuals within the state with confirmed cases of stroke; (b) To the extent possible, coordinate with national voluntary health organizations involved in stroke quality improvement to avoid duplication and redundancy; (c) Encourage the sharing of information and data among health care providers on methods to improve the quality of care of stroke patients in the state; (d) Facilitate communication about data trends and treatment developments among health care professionals involved in the care of individuals with stroke; (e) Require the application of evidence-based treatment guidelines for the transition of stroke patients upon discharge from a hospital following acute treatment to community-based care provided in a hospital outpatient, physician office, or ambulatory clinic setting; and (f) Establish a data oversight process and a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under the statewide system for stroke response and treatment, which shall include: 1. Analysis of the data included in the stroke database; 2. Identification of potential interventions to improve stroke care in specific geographic regions of the state; and 3. Recommendations to the department and the Kentucky General Assembly for improvement in the delivery of stroke care in the state. (3) All data reported under subsection (2)(a) of this section shall be made available to the department and all government agencies or contractors of government agencies which are responsible for the management and administration of emergency medical services throughout the state. (4) By September 1 of each year, the department shall provide a report of its data and any related findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services. The report also shall be made available on the department's website. (5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the disclosure of confidential information or data in violation of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Effective: July 15, 2024 History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 207, sec. 21, effective July 15, 2024. -- Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 33, sec. 2, effective July 14, 2022. -- Created 2012 Ky. Acts ch. 106, sec. 1, effective July 12, 2012.