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2019 SESSION

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HB 2546 Maternal Mortality Review Team; established, investigations.

Introduced by: Roxann L. Robinson | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Maternal Death Review Team established. Establishes the Maternal Death Review Team (the Team) to develop and implement procedures to ensure that maternal deaths occurring in the Commonwealth are analyzed in a systematic way. The bill requires the Team to (i) develop and revise as necessary operating procedures for maternal death reviews, including identification of cases to be reviewed and procedures for coordinating among the agencies and professionals involved; (ii) improve the identification of, and data collection and record keeping related to, causes of maternal deaths; (iii) recommend components of programs to increase awareness and prevention of, and education about, maternal deaths; and (iv) recommend training to improve the review of maternal deaths. The bill also requires the Team to compile triennial statistical data regarding maternal deaths and to make such data available to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill provides that information and records obtained or created by the Team and portions of meetings of the Team at which individual maternal deaths are discussed shall be confidential.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Maternal Mortality Review Team established; investigation. Directs the Department of Health to establish a Maternal Mortality Review Team to systematically review all pregnancy-associated deaths and pregnancy-related deaths, as defined in the bill, occurring in the Commonwealth and (i) determine the rate of pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths in the Commonwealth; (ii) identify risk factors of pregnancy-associated or pregnancy-related deaths; (iii) identify other factors contributing to pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths, including delayed diagnosis of medical conditions, inadequate medical treatment, failure of health care providers to follow basic safety procedures, or other medical or nonmedical errors; and (iv) develop recommendations for prevention and intervention programs to reduce the rate of pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths in the Commonwealth. The bill also requires certain health care providers, law-enforcement officers, funeral directors, or other persons having knowledge of pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths to report such deaths.