(1) As used in this section, “department” means the Department for Public Health.
(2) The Department for Public Health shall establish and implement a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under a statewide system for stroke response and treatment. In implementing the plan, the department shall:

Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 211.575

  • Federal: refers to the United States. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Treatment: when used in a criminal justice context, means targeted interventions
    that focus on criminal risk factors in order to reduce the likelihood of criminal behavior. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010

(a) Maintain a statewide stroke database to compile information and statistics on stroke care as follows:
1. The database shall align with the stroke consensus metrics developed and approved by the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Joint Commission;
2. The department shall utilize the “Get With The Guidelines-Stroke” quality improvement program maintained by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association or another nationally recognized program that utilizes a data set platform with patient confidentiality standards no less secure than the statewide stroke database established in this paragraph; and
3. Require certified stroke centers as established in KRS § 216B.0425 to report to the database each case of stroke seen at the facility. The data shall be reported in a format consistent with nationally recognized guidelines on the treatment of individuals within the state with confirmed cases of stroke;
(b) To the extent possible, coordinate with national voluntary health organizations involved in stroke quality improvement to avoid duplication and redundancy;
(c) Encourage the sharing of information and data among health care providers on methods to improve the quality of care of stroke patients in the state;
(d) Facilitate communication about data trends and treatment developments among health care professionals involved in the care of individuals with stroke;
(e) Require the application of evidence-based treatment guidelines for the transition of stroke patients upon discharge from a hospital following acute treatment to community-based care provided in a hospital outpatient, physician office, or ambulatory clinic setting; and
(f) Establish a data oversight process and a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under the statewide system for stroke response and treatment, which shall include:
1. Analysis of the data included in the stroke database;
2. Identification of potential interventions to improve stroke care in specific geographic regions of the state; and
3. Recommendations to the department and the Kentucky General
Assembly for improvement in the delivery of stroke care in the state.
(3) All data reported under subsection (2)(a) of this section shall be made available to the department and all government agencies or contractors of government agencies which are responsible for the management and administration of emergency medical services throughout the state.
(4) On June 1, 2013, and annually on June 1 thereafter, the department shall provide a report of its data and any related findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislative Research Commission. The report also shall be made available on the department’s Web site.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the disclosure of confidential information or data in violation of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
Effective: July 14, 2022
History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 33, sec. 2, effective July 14, 2022. — Created
2012 Ky. Acts ch. 106, sec. 1, effective July 12, 2012.