| 1 | 1 | | 81R11645 JSC-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Farias, Guillen H.B. No. 4393 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a pilot program to provide electronic |
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| 8 | 8 | | prescribing tools to rural physicians. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subchapter M-1 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER M-1. ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING TOOLS PILOT PROGRAM |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 531.471. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "physician" |
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| 14 | 14 | | and "rural" have the definitions assigned by Section 487.601. |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 531.472. PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall |
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| 16 | 16 | | develop a pilot program to provide electronic prescribing tools at |
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| 17 | 17 | | no cost to physicians in rural areas to increase clinical quality, |
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| 18 | 18 | | reduce unnecessary costs, and streamline workflows. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The pilot program shall provide services to not more |
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| 20 | 20 | | than 50 physicians in rural areas practicing in not more than five |
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| 21 | 21 | | counties in this state. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) The pilot program shall provide the participating |
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| 23 | 23 | | physicians with: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) software that: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) connects physicians to a medication |
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| 26 | 26 | | database; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (B) tracks patient prescription histories; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (C) provides drug interaction data and |
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| 29 | 29 | | information on dosages; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (D) notifies the physician in real time of the |
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| 31 | 31 | | formulary status of a drug; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) a high-speed Internet connection; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (3) electronic equipment, if necessary; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (4) training on the use of the software, Internet |
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| 35 | 35 | | tools, and equipment in the pilot program. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) The commission may contract with an outside company for |
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| 37 | 37 | | the creation of software or for use of existing software. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) The commission shall select physicians for |
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| 39 | 39 | | participation in the program based on a physician's current access |
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| 40 | 40 | | to technology that assists in prescribing. |
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| 41 | 41 | | Sec. 531.473. REPORT. (a) The commission shall submit a |
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| 42 | 42 | | report on the implementation of the pilot program under this |
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| 43 | 43 | | subchapter to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the |
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| 44 | 44 | | house of representatives, and legislature not later than January 1, |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2010. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (b) The report must include an assessment of any benefits of |
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| 47 | 47 | | the pilot program and any recommendations for future legislation. |
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| 48 | 48 | | Sec. 531.474. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires |
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| 49 | 49 | | September 1, 2011. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 51 | 51 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 52 | 52 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 53 | 53 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 54 | 54 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 55 | 55 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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