PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Authorize Regional Medical Control Committees To Have Access to Maine Emergency Medical Services Data for Purposes of Quality Improvement
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  critical and lifesaving emergency medical services are provided to patients on a daily basis in both rural and urban areas; and
Whereas,  circumstances arise in which the provision of emergency medical services requires review for the purposes of quality improvement so that services may be delivered in a safe and efficient manner that produces maximum benefit to the health of the patient; and
Whereas,  delay in reviews increases the risk of service delivery that may be less safe or less efficient or does not produce maximum benefit to the health of the patient; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §89, sub-§2, ¶A, as amended by PL 1991, c. 588, §18, is further amended to read:
 
A. Establishing a regional medical control committee to carry out a plan of quality improvement;
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §91-B, sub-§2, ¶E, as amended by PL 2015, c. 82, §8, is further amended to read:
 
E. Data collected by Maine Emergency Medical Services that allows identification of persons receiving emergency medical treatment may be released for purposes of research, public health surveillance and linkage with patient electronic medical records if the release is approved by the board, the Medical Direction and Practices Board and the director and may be released for the purposes of quality improvement to a regional medical control committee that has been approved by the board to carry out a plan of quality improvement. Information that specifically identifies individuals must be removed from the information disclosed pursuant to this paragraph, unless the board, the Medical Direction and Practices Board and the director determine that the release of such information is necessary for the purposes of the research, public health surveillance or linkage with patient electronic medical records or unless the release is for the purposes of quality improvement and is to a regional medical control committee that has been approved by the board to carry out a plan of quality improvement.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill, which is emergency legislation, authorizes a regional medical control committee that has been approved by the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Medical Services' Board to carry out a plan of quality improvement to have access to data collected by Maine Emergency Medical Services that allows identification of persons receiving emergency medical treatment for the purpose of quality improvement.