03/12/2007 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES

          SB  62-TASK FORCE ON HEALTH CARE INFECTIONS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:36:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS announced SB 62 to be up for consideration.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
DOUG  LETCH,  aide   to  Senator  Stevens,  sponsor   of  SB  62,                                                               
introduced himself  and said he  would be presenting the  bill to                                                               
the committee for the second time.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
JAY  BUTLER, Director  for the  Division of  Public Health,  said                                                               
that he was available to  answer questions and summarize previous                                                               
testimony. He  explained that SB 62  will create a task  force to                                                               
consider public  disclosure of health  care-associated infections                                                               
and  reporting  of  the  data   in  a  way  that's  valuable  for                                                               
consumers. Particular  challenges to  Alaska include the  size of                                                               
the  hospitals, and  interpretable numbers  won't necessarily  be                                                               
available for  the majority of  the institutions.  Fourteen other                                                               
states require  public reporting of infection  rates in hospitals                                                               
and preventative measures taken.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He explained that  the Center for Disease Control  (CDC) does not                                                               
take  a  position  on  infection   reporting,  but  does  provide                                                               
guidelines for  state governments  that wish to  do so.  The task                                                               
force  created  by  SB  62   would  outline  the  parameters  for                                                               
reporting as well as outcome measures.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:41:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DYSON asked  about medical  facilities that  wouldn't be                                                               
required to report under this legislation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BUTLER  said  that  inpatient   acute  care  facilities  and                                                               
outpatient surgical centers may not be included.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:42:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAT LUBY,  Advocacy Director for  the Alaska AARP, said  that the                                                               
organization  is in  support of  SB 62  and that  the bill  won't                                                               
necessarily stigmatize hospitals, which  must be held accountable                                                               
so that  they can  correct their  errors. SB 62  is a  good first                                                               
step towards reducing medical infections.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:43:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH  said that  the bill isn't  about pointing  fingers but                                                               
rather  protecting   consumers  and  taking  steps   to  decrease                                                               
preventable fatalities.  He then  related a personal  story about                                                               
hospital infections.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:45:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON  made a motion  to move  SB 62 from  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, the motion carried.