STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO.3541

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2523

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2523 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve emergency medical services in Hawaii by allowing the Department of Health to establish a trauma registry.

Specifically, the bill:

(1) Authorizes the Department of Health to establish and manage a trauma registry to collect information on treatment of critical trauma patients at state designated trauma centers; and

(2) Requires state designated trauma centers to submit periodic reports to the Department on trauma patients treated.

Your Committee believes that a trauma registry would provide valuable information needed to ensure quality treatment and injury surveillance, both for research purposes and for development of injury prevention and control policies. The information collected will aid the Department of Health in determining whether trauma services are provided adequately and efficiently to critical patients who require emergency medical services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2523, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

		____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair