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 S.B. No. 2781 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Health to implement and maintain a trauma registry.

The registry will collect information concerning the treatment of critical trauma patients at state-designated trauma centers, and administer a system for the management of that information.

Your Committee finds that statutory authority to continue receiving trauma registry data is necessary to comply with the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

A trauma registry abstracts information for continuous quality improvement of ground ambulance services, referring medical facilities, aeromedical service, and trauma centers. The trauma registry information supports injury surveillance for injury prevention control strategies. A trauma registry also allows health care administrators and clinicians to engage in evidence-based decision making for policy development and resource allocation.

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 S.B. No. 2781 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.