H.B. 567 Summary

• Establishes a Council on Stroke Prevention and Education with representatives from medical associations, hospitals, insurers, and other health organizations to develop public education programs and clinical recommendations for stroke care.

• Creates a state recognition process for hospitals as "primary stroke centers" based on joint commission certification or health care facilities accreditation, with department of health maintaining a list updated annually.

• Requires the state board of emergency medical services to establish a standardized stroke assessment and protocol tool within 12 months that includes best practices for assessment, treatment, and transport of stroke patients.

• Mandates regional stroke triage and transport plans specifying distances for transporting patients to primary stroke centers or telestroke network hospitals, with preferences for patient choice when hospitals are within one mile of each other.

• Requires hospitals and emergency medical service organizations to provide stroke patient treatment data to the department of health, with annual public reports beginning June 1, 2012.