Mid-Atlantic Health Law TOPICS

Non-Elective Angioplasty: Did you know that the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) extended a State Health Plan exemption for the Cardiovascular Patients Outcomes Research Team project (C-Port)? C-Port pertains to the performance of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for certain patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a setting without on-site cardiac surgical backup. The study compares the outcomes of community hospital patients with AMI that are given primary angioplasty with similar patients receiving thrombolytic therapy. C-Port, initiated in 1995, can now continue until July 2002. Medical Errors: Did you know that the Maryland General Assembly has required the MHCC and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to study the feasibility of developing a system for reducing incidences of preventable medical errors, including a system for the reporting of all incidences? A preliminary report is due by January 1, 2002, with the final report due by January 1, 2003. Nursing Staff Agencies: Did you know that the Maryland Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ), not the Maryland State Board of Nursing, will be responsible for the licensure and oversight of nursing staff agencies beginning January 1, 2002? These agencies must be licensed by OHCQ before referring nursing personnel to a health care facility. The Board of Nursing will continue to license individual nursing personnel. Quality Standards for Health Web Sites: Did you know that in July 2001, the nonprofit American Accreditation HealthCare Commission known as URAC released quality standards that health web sites must meet to receive URAC's "seal of approval?" URAC's standards address health content, editorial processes, disclosure of financial relationships, links to other web sites, privacy and security, and consumer complaint mechanisms. To review URAC's health web site accreditation program, go to www.urac.org and click on Health Web Site Accreditation Program.