Texas Senate Bill SB1817

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Caption

Relating to a voluntary statewide diabetes mellitus registry.

Impact

The implementation of SB1817 is expected to impact the Health and Safety Code by establishing a formal framework for tracking and reporting diabetes data. Public health districts that participate would take on the responsibility for the costs associated with maintaining and administering this registry. The bill aims to provide a systematic approach to understanding diabetes trends, including demographic variances and healthcare expenditures related to the condition, thereby facilitating better statewide public health initiatives.

Summary

SB1817 aims to establish a voluntary statewide diabetes mellitus registry in Texas. This legislation focuses on the collection and management of diabetes-related health data to better understand the prevalence and impact of diabetes in various public health districts across the state. By creating an electronic registry, the bill seeks to track glycosylated hemoglobin levels, which are critical indicators in managing diabetes and assessing patient control over their condition. The initiative is designed to foster improved public health responses and strategies through enhanced data reporting and analysis.

Contention

One notable point of contention regarding SB1817 revolves around data confidentiality and the ethical implications of tracking individual health information. The bill includes strict provisions to ensure that information collected will remain confidential and not be released publicly, addressing potential concerns about privacy and data misuse. However, some stakeholders may raise issues regarding how the data might be utilized to further diabetes research and whether the balance between public health benefits and individual privacy rights is appropriately maintained.