STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1222-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.R. No. 87

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 87 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO ASSESS THE SCOPE AND FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN EMERGENCY SERVICES PATIENT ADVOCATE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve emergency room patient outcomes by requesting the Director of Health to:

(1)  Establish a task force to study the scope and feasibility of an emergency services patient advocate program; and

(2)  Submit a report of its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015.

Three individuals testified in support of this measure. Kaiser Permanente and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Amending the task force's membership to include four representatives from the Subarea Health Planning Council of the State Health Planning and Development Agency and the directors of emergency rooms in the state; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 87, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 87, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair