HR11 HD1

WHEREAS, time is of the essence for heart attack victims because irreversible or potentially fatal damage to the heart can occur quickly; and

WHEREAS, an estimated 1,200,000 individuals experience heart attacks annually, resulting in 495,000 deaths; and

WHEREAS, studies have shown that when a heart attack is caused by a blood clot that blocks a victim's artery, clearing the vessel within 90 minutes reduces the risk of death by 40 percent; and

WHEREAS, hospitals in North Carolina and Arkansas have taken steps to shorten these deadly delays by having paramedics wirelessly transmit patients' electrocardiogram (EKG) data from the field, or from ambulances, either directly to cardiologist staff or to staff in waiting emergency rooms; and

WHEREAS, under the wireless transmission system, paramedics in the field who detect signs of a heart attack transmit electrocardiogram readings by a wireless modem to a cardiologist or an emergency room; and

WHEREAS, this procedure can help the cardiologist or emergency room staff mobilize the appropriate staff and equipment prior to the victim's arrival at the emergency room; and

WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu Emergency Services Department (EMS) is currently developing a project that equips ambulances and rapid response vehicles with such a wireless transmission system to transmit EKG data to any hospital wishing to participate in the project; and

WHEREAS, EMS's EKG wireless transmission system project should be closely studied to determine if it would be advantageous to implement a similar project statewide; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, that the Department of Health (DOH) is requested to establish an Electrocardiogram Wireless Transmission Project Task Force (Task Force) to track and study the progress of EMS's EKG wireless transmission system project (Project); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the goals of the Task Force should be to review EMS's Project and data on costs, implementation, required staff, and other information currently gathered by EMS to evaluate the Project's potential for expansion and improvement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force is requested to review the Project's EKG wireless transmission system, wireless modem to a cardiologist, and the overall benefit in reducing the time elapsed for each patient from arrival at the hospital to receiving appropriate treatment for conditions diagnosed using the EKG wireless transmission system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Task Force should be as follows:

(1) A member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) A member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(3) The Director of EMS or the Director's designee;

(4) The Director of Health or the Director's designee;

(5) A board certified emergency room physician appointed jointly by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(6) The Chairperson of the Board of the American Heart Association of Hawaii or the Chairperson's designee;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force is requested to convene at least three meetings at the Hawaii State Capitol prior to the 2009 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the 2009 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2009; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Director of the Honolulu's Emergency Medical Services Department, and Chairperson of the Board of the American Heart Association of Hawaii.

Report Title:

Wireless Electrocardiogram Project Task Force

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	11
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII