07 LC 33
1645
Senate
Resolution 22
By:
Senators Hill of the 32nd and Thomas of the 54th
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Hospital Health Care Standards Commission; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between
44,000 to 98,000 Americans die each year from adverse patient events, including
hospital acquired infections; and
WHEREAS,
an additional 1.9 million patients per year get an infection that does not
result in death, but results in the patient´s spending from one to 30 extra
days in the hospital; and overall, hospital acquired infections add nearly $5
billion per year to our nation´s health care costs; and
WHEREAS,
over the past two decades, the hospitalized patient population has become more
severely ill and more immuno-compromised and thus at greater risk for hospital
acquired infections; and
WHEREAS,
the responsibilities of infection control departments in hospitals have markedly
expanded to include prevention of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and
prevention of
Mycobacterium
tuberculosis or multidrug-resistant
bacterial transmission; and
WHEREAS,
there exists a need to conduct infection surveillance systems, determine
baseline infection rates for comparison, improve device and antimicrobial drug
use, and educate hospital staff about prevention of infectious diseases;
and
WHEREAS,
because of their expertise in epidemiologic methods, infection control personnel
can assist in establishing and implementing infection control, quality
assurance, and medical error reduction programs in hospital settings;
and
WHEREAS,
the state must ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, the rate of
hospital acquired infections of patients in hospitals in this state is
minimized.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is
created the Hospital Health Care Standards Commission for Prevention of Hospital
Acquired Infections to be composed of 14 members as follows: three members of
the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate
Committee on Assignments; and the following eight members to be appointed by the
Governor: one hospital administrator representing an urban area, one hospital
administrator representing a rural area, one registered nurse, one
representative of a physician association, one representative from the Georgia
Hospital Association, one representative from the Georgia Alliance for Community
Hospitals, one physician specializing in infectious diseases and one researcher
specializing in infectious diseases. The Georgia Hospital Association and the
Medical Association of Georgia may make recommendations to the Governor with
regard to the Governor´s appointees. The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Senate Committee on Assignments shall each designate a
cochairperson from among their respective appointees. The commission shall meet
at the call of the cochairpersons.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall undertake a study of cleanliness
safety standards in hospitals in this state and rates and causes of hospital
acquired infections. The commission may conduct such meetings at such places
and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish
the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The legislative members of the
commission shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative members of
interim legislative committees from the funds appropriated to the House of
Representatives and the Senate but shall receive the same for not more than five
days unless additional days are authorized. Citizen members shall receive a
daily expense allowance in the amount specified in subsection (b) of Code
Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated as well as the mileage
or transportation allowance authorized for state employees. The funds necessary
to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds
appropriated to the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the event the
commission makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions
for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before
December 31, 2007. The commission shall stand abolished on December 31, 2007.