Grants; report

(a) In order to encourage and ensure the establishment of stroke centers throughout the state, the department shall award grants, subject to appropriations from the General Assembly, to hospitals that seek identification as remote treatment stroke centers and demonstrate a need for financial assistance to develop the necessary infrastructure, including personnel and equipment, in order to satisfy the criteria for identification as a remote treatment stroke center pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 31-11-113. (b) A hospital seeking identification as a remote treatment stroke center pursuant to this article may apply to the department for a grant, in a manner and on a form required by the department, and provide such information as the department deems necessary to determine if the hospital is eligible for the grant. (c) The department may provide grants to as many hospitals as it deems appropriate, subject to appropriations, taking into consideration adequate geographic diversity with respect to locations. (d) The department shall annually prepare and submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for distribution to its committee members a report indicating the total number of hospitals that have applied for grants pursuant to this Code section, the number of applicants that have been determined by the department to be eligible for such grants, the total number of grants to be awarded, the name and address of each grantee hospital, the amount of the award to each grantee, and the amount of each award to be disbursed to the grantee. History. — Code 1981, § 31-11-114, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 1102, § 2/SB 549; Ga. L. 2016, p. 438, § 1/HB 853. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2016, p. 438, § 2/HB 853, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: ‘‘The department shall begin the rulemaking process to effect the provisions of this Act no later than June 30, 2016.’’ 31-11-115. Distribution of list of state identified stroke centers to emergency medical services providers; development of a model stroke triage assessment tool; assessment, treatment, and transport of stroke patients. (a) Beginning June 1, 2009, and each year thereafter, the department shall send a list of comprehensive, primary, remote treatment, and other level stroke centers identified pursuant to Code Section 31-11-113 to the medical director of each licensed emergency medical services provider in this state, shall maintain a copy of the list in the 674 31-11-116 office designated with the department to oversee emergency medical services, and shall post a list of comprehensive, primary, remote treatment, and other level stroke centers on the department’s website. (b) The department shall adopt or develop a sample stroke triage assessment tool. The department shall post this sample assessment tool on its website and distribute a copy of the sample assessment tool to each licensed emergency medical services provider no later than December 31, 2008. Each licensed emergency medical services provider shall use a stroke triage assessment tool that is substantially similar to the sample stroke triage assessment tool provided by the department. (c) The office designated within the department to oversee emergency medical services shall establish protocols related to the assessment, treatment, triage, and transport of stroke patients, including transport to the appropriate level stroke centers, by licensed emergency medical services providers in this state. History. — Code 1981, § 31-11-115, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 1102, § 2/SB 549; Ga. L. 2016, p. 438, § 1/HB 853.