2021 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 59
BY SENATOR BERNARD
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the office of public health of the Louisiana Department of Health to
study and submit a report relative to health care infrastructure needs in Louisiana.
WHEREAS, the health care industry has been presented with numerous challenges
over the past year and a half but has continued to meet the daily medical needs of patients,
as well as serving on the front lines protecting the lives and wellbeing of individuals in
emergencies, such as outbreaks of communicable disease, natural disasters, and manmade
emergencies; and
WHEREAS, to deliver the safe, timely, and effective care that Louisiana residents
depend upon, the health care industry continually maintains thousands of facilities
comprising physical infrastructure that relies on extensive, complex, and costly mechanical
and physical environment systems, information technology, medical equipment, and other
supplies such as personal protective equipment; and
WHEREAS, health care infrastructure faces a number of challenges some of which
have been exacerbated by the obstacles presented when caring for patients during the
COVID-19 pandemic required facilities to rapidly rethink and often "reinvent" their physical
infrastructure to mitigate the spread of the virus, increase critical care capacity, and adjust
to complex medication handling requirements to support treatments and vaccines, among
other needs; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 emergency, along with the unprecedented hurricane
season, and atypical cold weather, has also highlighted the importance of a strong digital
health infrastructure which includes access to adequate, affordable broadband connectivity
that is essential to enabling telehealth and increasing access to care for all Louisianians; and
WHEREAS, now, more than ever, investment is needed to ensure health care
facilities can meet the health care needs of residents and continue to be a source of jobs and
economic stability in their communities; and
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WHEREAS, Louisiana is expected to receive significant federal funding earmarked
for infrastructure in the coming months and years and the state should embark on bringing
together stakeholders to research and report to the legislature on critical infrastructure needs
of the health care industry in advance of making appropriations.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the office of public health of the Louisiana Department of Health to study
health care infrastructure needs in Louisiana including but not limited to investing in
physical infrastructure, building capacity for emergency preparedness and response capacity,
expanding health care digital and data infrastructure, strengthening the health care
workforce, and identifying opportunities to mitigate the risks of having critical infrastructure
failures.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the office shall engage health care industry
stakeholders to assess critical infrastructure needs.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the office shall submit a written report of its
findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Finance, the House Committee
on Appropriations, and the Senate and House committees on health and welfare not later
than December 1, 2021.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
to the Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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