HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	235
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CANVASS LEGISLATION IN OTHER STATES TARGETED SPECIFICALLY AT REDUCING NEGATIVE MEDICAL OUTCOMES.

     WHEREAS, physicians and medical facilities throughout the country strive to provide the most effective and safe treatment and services possible to patients; and

     WHEREAS, it is unlikely that an entire health care system or even a single provider can ensure perfection consistently over time in the delivery of effective and safe treatment and services for patients; and

     WHEREAS, the scope of incidents of failure to ensure the safety of patients that result in negative medical outcomes is extremely broad and can range from the general and systemwide, such as allowing conditions to exist that promote hospital infections, to the unique and specific such as negligently leaving surgical forceps within a patient's body after an operation, incorrectly diagnosing a medical condition, or incorrectly prescribing medications for a patient resulting in foreseeable harm; and

     WHEREAS, it is likely that various private sector individuals, medical institutions and facilities, health care organizations, and the like have instituted programs or established guidelines that focus on reducing the number and scope of negative medical outcomes within their respective medical practices, health networks, or geographic areas; and

     WHEREAS, however, it is uncertain whether states have enacted specific legislation or state programs for the same purpose; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to canvass legislation in other states that are targeted specifically at reducing negative medical outcomes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is specifically requested to enlist the assistance of the National Conference of State Legislatures in searching for and identifying any state legislation targeted specifically at reducing negative medical outcomes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to cooperate with and provide any assistance that the Legislative Reference Bureau may request; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit its findings and recommendations, including any necessary proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau and the Director of Health.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Negative Medical Outcomes; State Laws and Programs; LRB Study