DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 372 Re-Reengrossed 2024 Regular Session Crews
Abstract: Requires the La. Dept. of Health to collect certain information regarding patients seeking
emergency care who are transferred from the care of an ambulance provider to a hospital.
Proposed law requires the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) to collect data from each ground ambulance
provider operating in a parish with a population exceeding 125,000 whenever a patient seeking
emergency care is transferred from the ground ambulance provider to a hospital. LDH may collect
the same data from a ground ambulance provider in a parish with a population less than 125,000.
Proposed law requires the following information to be collected:
(1)The total number of patients in need of emergency care transported by the ground ambulance
provider to each hospital during the previous quarter.
(2)The total number of such patients who were not transferred to an appropriate place in the
hospital to receive emergency care from hospital staff within 30 minutes of arrival at the
hospital.
Proposed law requires LDH to submit an annual report summarizing the data collected from ground
ambulance providers.
Proposed law requires data to be reported to LDH on a quarterly basis.
Proposed law authorizes LDH to promulgate rules to carry out the provisions of proposed law.
Proposed law provides for definitions.
Effective Jan. 1, 2025.
(Adds R.S. 40:1134)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to the
original bill:
1. Remove the requirement for hospitals to report patient wait time data to the La. Dept. of
Health. 2. Remove the requirement for hospitals and ground ambulance providers to report the
reason for an extensive transfer wait time.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the engrossed
bill:
1. Delete provisions requiring collection by the department of certain detailed data on
transportation and wait times for patients seeking emergency care.
2. Add requirement that ground ambulance providers report all the following information
to the department: (a) The total number of patients in need of emergency care
transported by the provider to a hospital during the previous quarter and (b) The total
number of such patients who were not transferred to an appropriate place in the hospital
to receive emergency care from hospital staff within 30 minutes of arrival at the hospital.