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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1561 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3618
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Mark J. Cusack
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to stroke system of care.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Mark J. Cusack5th Norfolk1/18/2023Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol1/31/2023Jessica Ann Giannino16th Suffolk1/31/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/1/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden2/1/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/2/2023Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol2/2/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol2/2/2023Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr.28th Middlesex2/8/2023Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk2/14/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/14/2023Denise C. Garlick13th Norfolk2/15/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/23/2023Hannah Kane11th Worcester3/1/2023Tommy Vitolo15th Norfolk3/20/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1561 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3618
By Representative Cusack of Braintree, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3618) of
Mark J. Cusack and others relative to establishing a statewide standard prehospital care protocol
related to the assessment, treatment and transport of stroke patients. Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to stroke system of care.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, not later than 180 days after
2the effective date of this act, the department of public health shall promulgate regulations that
3create: (i) a statewide standard prehospital care protocol related to the assessment, treatment and
4transport of stroke patients by emergency medical services providers to a hospital designated by
5the department to care for stroke patients; provided, however, that the protocol shall be based on
6national evidence-based guidelines for transport of stroke patients, consider transport that crosses
7state lines and include plans for the triage and transport of suspected stroke patients including,
8but not limited to, those who may have an emergent large vessel occlusion, to an appropriate
9facility within a specified timeframe following the onset of symptoms and additional criteria to
10determine which level of care is the most appropriate destination; provided further, that the
11department shall develop said protocol in consultation with the expert stroke advisory taskforce
12established pursuant to subsection (c) of section 51L of chapter 111 of the General Laws; and (ii)
13recommended national evidence-based quality and utilization measure sets for stroke care for use 2 of 2
14by the center for health information and analysis pursuant to section 14 of chapter 12C of the
15General Laws; provided, however, that the department shall consider measures in current use in
16national quality improvement programs including, but not limited to, the Centers for Medicare
17and Medicaid Services, the National Quality Forum, the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke
18Program or other nationally-recognized data platforms.