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§ 10244. Maternal Mortality Review Committee

Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated StatutesTitle 35 P.S. Health and SafetyEffective: October 3, 2023

Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes
Title 35 P.S. Health and Safety (Refs & Annos)
Chapter 66. Maternal Mortality Review Act
Effective: October 3, 2023
35 P.S. § 10244
§ 10244. Maternal Mortality Review Committee
Currentness
(a) Establishment.--The Maternal Mortality Review Committee is established within the department.
(b) Members.--The committee shall consist of the following members:
(1) The secretary or a designee authorized to act on behalf of the secretary.
(2) An obstetrician.
(3) A maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
(4) A certified nurse-midwife.
(5) A registered nurse representing maternal health care.
(6) A psychiatrist.
(7) An addiction medicine specialist.
(8) A social worker or social service provider.
(9) A medical examiner or coroner responsible for recording deaths.
(10) An emergency medical services provider.
(11) A health statistician.
(12) A representative of the department's Bureau of Family Health programs.
(13) Three individuals specializing in emergency medicine, family medicine, pathology, anesthesiology, cardiology, critical care or any other relevant medical specialty.
(14) Additional personnel at the discretion of the secretary.
(c) Consultation.--The committee may consult with any relevant experts or stakeholders who may or may not represent one of the areas of expertise set forth in subsection (b). In consulting with individuals, a member of the committee or employee of the department may not disclose any identifying information of a patient or health care provider.
(d) Appointment of members and chairperson.--The secretary shall appoint the members of the committee and a chairperson within 60 days of the effective date of this section. Members shall serve at the discretion of the secretary. In appointing members to the committee, the secretary shall:
(1) Include members from various geographic regions in this Commonwealth, including both rural and urban areas, and from both academic and community-based hospitals and health networks that are of varying size.
(2) Endeavor to include members who are working in and representing communities that are most affected by maternal deaths and by a lack of access to relevant perinatal and intrapartum care services.
(3) Include members who represent several academic disciplines and professional specializations essential to reviewing cases of maternal deaths.
(e) Meetings.--The committee shall meet when necessary, at least once annually, to fulfill the duties and goals of the committee. The initial meeting of the committee shall be held within 90 days of the effective date of this section.
(f) Reimbursement.--Committee members shall serve without compensation.
(g) Confidentiality agreement.--Committee members and any person appearing before the committee shall sign a confidentiality agreement applicable to all proceedings and reviews conducted by the committee.
(h) Committee support.--The department shall provide staff necessary to administer and manage this act.
(i) Severe maternal morbidity data.--The department shall annually publish severe maternal morbidity data using hospitalization discharge data obtained from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. This data also shall be included in the report submitted by the committee under section 5(b)(5).1

Credits

2018, May 9, P.L. 118, No. 24, § 4, effective in 90 days [Aug. 7, 2018]. Amended 2023, July 5, P.L. 27, No. 5, § 1, effective in 90 days [Oct. 3, 2023].

Footnotes

1
35 P.S. § 10245.
35 P.S. § 10244, PA ST 35 P.S. § 10244
Current through Act 10 of the 2024 Regular Session. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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