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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution highlights the impact of pediatric deaths and injuries on the state
11 of Utah and encourages the Department of Health to establish a pediatric quality
12 improvement program and a Pediatric Trauma Quality Assurance Network.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 ▸ highlights the impact of pediatric deaths and injuries on the state of Utah;
16 ▸ emphasizes the importance of reducing pediatric deaths and injuries; and
17 ▸ encourages the Department of Health to establish a pediatric quality improvement
18 program and a multi-stakeholder Pediatric Trauma and Quality Assurance Network
19 to advise the department on triage, transport, transfer, and treatment of ill and
20 injured pediatric patients.
21 Special Clauses:
22 None
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24 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 WHEREAS, children make up 32% of the population in Utah;
26 WHEREAS, injury is the leading cause of death in the pediatric population;
27 WHEREAS, from 2001 through 2014, 1,003,054 pediatric patients were hospitalized in
28 Utah;
29 WHEREAS, from 2001 through 2014, 27,968 pediatric patients were hospitalized for
30 injury in Utah;
31 WHEREAS, from 2001 through 2014, 3,189 children died from either illness or injury;
32 WHEREAS, from 2001 through 2014, 580 children died as a result of injury;
33 WHEREAS, from 2003 through 2013, 27% of pediatric patients were over-triaged to a
34 Level I pediatric trauma center;
35 WHEREAS, the over-triage of pediatric trauma patients resulted in unnecessary
36 transport charges in excess of $8,900,000;
37 WHEREAS, Utah Code Section 26-8a-205 directs the Department of Health to
38 establish a statewide trauma system;
39 WHEREAS, Utah Code Section 26-8a-205 directs the Department of Health to
40 establish a pediatric quality improvement resource program; and
41 WHEREAS, the Department of Health has not yet established a pediatric quality
42 improvement resource program in accordance with Utah Code Section 26-8a-205:
43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
44 urges the Department of Health to establish a pediatric quality improvement program in
45 accordance with Section 26-8a-205.
46 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages the Department of
47 Health to convene, as part of the pediatric quality improvement program, a multi-stakeholder
48 Pediatric Trauma Quality Assurance Network to recommend methodology, standards, and
49 guidelines to reduce morbidity, mortality, and the cost of injury and illness to pediatric patients
50 in Utah.
51 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages the Department of
52 Health to continue working to find effective and innovative ways to reduce the impact of
53 pediatric injury in the state.
54 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Department
55 of Health.