Directs the commissioner of health to conduct a study relating to the number of emergency room beds in the state and to make recommendations on the minimum number of emergency rooms required per capita and the maximum distance patients shall be expected to travel to access emergency room services.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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S. 4699 A. 6832
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
March 21, 2019
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IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. RAMOS -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. DenDEKKER -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT in relation to requiring the commissioner of health to conduct a
study relating to the number of emergency room beds
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. (a) The commissioner of health is hereby authorized and
2 directed to study the number of emergency room beds in the state and to
3 establish minimum numbers of beds required.
4 (b) The study shall include, but not be limited to: the current number
5 of emergency room beds in the state; the minimum number of emergency
6 room beds required to adequately meet the needs of patients; the
7 distance patients need to travel to access emergency room services,
8 including the maximum distance patients shall be expected to travel to
9 access such services; and the number of emergency rooms within a specif-
10 ic area. The study shall also take into consideration population densi-
11 ty, travel time to emergency rooms, proximity to other emergency rooms,
12 public transportation routes, and such other factors the commissioner
13 deems appropriate.
14 (c) The commissioner of health shall make recommendations based upon
15 the findings of such study relating to, but not limited to, the minimum
16 number of emergency room beds which shall be required per capita, the
17 maximum distance patients shall be expected to travel to access emergen-
18 cy room services, and such other recommendations such commissioner deems
19 appropriate.
20 (d) The commissioner of health shall submit a report including recom-
21 mendations and findings based on this study to the governor, the tempo-
22 rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the chairs
23 of the senate and assembly standing committees on health no later than
24 December 31, 2019.
25 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09374-01-9
