This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 21, 2017 at 3:03 PM by lpoole.
1     
JOINT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING STUDY TO REDUCE

2     
FALL-RELATED INJURIES

3     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

4     
STATE OF UTAH

5     
Chief Sponsor: Jani Iwamoto

6     
House Sponsor: Stewart E. Barlow

7     

8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages the Department of Health to convene
11     a multi-stakeholder workgroup to develop recommendations for reducing fall-related
12     injuries among Utahns.
13     Highlighted Provisions:
14          This resolution:
15          ▸     sets forth the impacts of fall-related injuries among Utahns;
16          ▸     encourages the Department of Health to convene a multi-stakeholder workgroup to
17     develop recommendations for reducing fall-related injuries among Utahns; Ŝ→ and ←Ŝ
18          ▸     encourages the workgroup to consider certain issues Ŝ→ [
; and
19          ▸     encourages the workgroup to report its recommendations to the Legislature before
20     October 1, 2017
] ←Ŝ
.
21     Special Clauses:
22          None
23     

24     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25          WHEREAS, in 2014, Utahns were hospitalized 5,300 times for the treatment of
26     fall-related injuries;
27          WHEREAS, in 2014, more than $186 million was spent on treating Utahns for

28     fall-related injuries;
29          WHEREAS, from 2013 to 2015, 655 Utahns died as the result of fall-related injuries;
30          WHEREAS, more than 76% of fall-related deaths and more than 61% of fall-related
31     hospitalizations are among individuals 65 years of age or older;
32          WHEREAS, the risk of death from fall-related injuries increases exponentially with
33     age; and
34          WHEREAS, individuals 65 years of age or older are many times more likely to die
35     from injuries related to falls than injuries related to traffic accidents, firearms, or other causes
36     of unintentional injury:
37          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
38     encourages the Department of Health to convene a multi-stakeholder workgroup to develop
39     recommendations for reducing fall-related injuries among Utahns.
40          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the workgroup include the department's fall
41     prevention specialist, an individual representing the elderly, an individual representing local
42     health departments, an individual representing Utah physicians, an individual representing
43     Utah emergency medical service providers, an individual representing Utah hospitals, an
44     individual representing the Utah Health Information Network, an individual with expertise in
45     the electronic exchange of clinical health information, and, as appropriate, others.
46          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah encourages the
47     workgroup to consider:
48          (a) how to promote the identification of individuals at risk of fall-related injuries and
49     the delivery of risk-reduction interventions;
50          (b) how to promote the use of fall-risk assessments by primary care physicians and
51     other medical practitioners who interact with persons at risk of fall-related injuries;
52          (c) whether a primary care physician should be notified for appropriate follow-up when
53     a patient of the physician is treated in a hospital emergency department or other emergency or
54     urgent care setting for a fall-related injury;
55          (d) how to increase the availability of funding for home modifications designed to
56     reduce the risk of fall-related injuries; and
57          (e) how to sustain efforts to reduce fall-related injuries in the state if federal funding
58     for the efforts is reduced or eliminated.

59          Ŝ→ [
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah encourages the
60     workgroup to report its recommendations to the Health and Human Services Interim
61     Committee before October 1, 2017.
] ←Ŝ

62          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Department
63     of Health.






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