1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2106 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1416
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Mark C. Montigny
_________________
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 to prevent death and disability from stroke.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and PlymouthPatrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/1/2023Anne M. GobiWorcester and Hampshire2/2/2023Patricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex3/2/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/6/2023Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk3/6/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2106 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1416
By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1416) of Mark C. Montigny,
Patrick M. O'Connor, Anne M. Gobi, Patricia D. Jehlen and other members of the Senate for
legislation to prevent death and disability from stroke. Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act to prevent death and disability from stroke.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary and not later
2than 180 days after the effective date of this act, the department of public health shall promulgate
3regulations that create: (i) a statewide standard pre-hospital care protocol related to the
4assessment, treatment and transport of stroke patients by emergency medical services providers
5to a hospital designated by the department to care for stroke patients; provided, however, that the
6protocol shall be based on national evidence-based guidelines for transport of stroke patients,
7consider transport that crosses state lines and include plans for the triage and transport of
8suspected stroke patients, including, but not limited to, those who may have an emergent large
9vessel occlusion, to an appropriate facility within a specified timeframe following the onset of
10symptoms and additional criteria to determine which level of care is the most appropriate
11destination; (ii) statewide criteria for designating hospitals in a tiered system, featuring advanced
12designations in addition to primary stroke services, to treat stroke patients based on patient
13acuity; provided, however, that the tiers shall be based on criteria from at least 1 nationally- 2 of 2
14recognized program and shall not permit self-designation; provided further, that in developing
15such criteria, the department shall consider: (A) designation models and criteria developed by the
16Joint Commission, DNV GL Healthcare USA, Inc. or another national certifying body
17recognized by the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; (B) designation
18models and criteria adopted by other states and the differences in geography and health care
19resources of such other states; (C) the clinical and operational capability of a facility to provide
20stroke services, including emergency and ancillary stroke services; (D) limiting the routing of
21stroke patients to thrombectomy-capable facilities whenever a comprehensive stroke center is
22within a recommended timeframe to maximize technical competency and patient outcomes; and
23(E) procedures to suspend or revoke a facility’s designation if the department determines the
24facility is not in compliance with designation requirements and procedures to notify emergency
25medical services providers of any such suspension or revocation; and (iii) recommended national
26evidence-based quality and utilization measure sets for stroke care for use by the center for
27health information and analysis pursuant to section 14 of chapter 12C of the General Laws;
28provided, however, that the department shall consider measures in current use in national quality
29improvement programs including, but not limited to, the United States Centers for Medicare and
30Medicaid Services, the National Quality Forum, the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke
31Program or other nationally-recognized data platforms. The department shall develop said
32regulations in consultation with the expert stroke advisory taskforce established pursuant to
33section 51L of chapter 111.