Health facilities: emergency medical services.

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate various health facilities, including general acute care hospitals. Existing law requires the department to issue a special permit, in addition to a license, to a health facility to offer one or more special services, such as an emergency center, if specified requirements are met, including that the department finds that the standards of care and services are adequate and appropriate. Existing regulations generally require emergency medical services and care to be provided within a hospital. Existing law provides that a special permit issued under these provisions expires on the expiration date of the license, which occurs 12 months from the date of the issuance of the license. This bill would make legislative findings relating to the impact of the Camp Fire in 2018 on the County of Butte, including the destruction of Feather River Hospital in that county. Pursuant to those provisions, the bill would require the department to issue a special permit to allow a general acute care hospital to offer emergency stabilization services at a location that is neither inside nor contiguous to the hospital if the hospital provides satisfactory evidence to the department that, among other things, the hospital has a written transfer agreement with the hospital closest to the location where emergency stabilization services will be provided, and satisfactory evidence to the department that this location meets certain requirements, including that the location is in the town of Paradise within the County of Butte and serves the same area previously served by Feather River Hospital. The bill would require that the special permit application fee be $15,000. The bill would require this special permit to expire 2 years from the date of its issuance, and would authorize the special permit to be renewed every 2 years, for a combined period not to exceed 6 years from the initial date of issuance. The bill would impose certain requirements on the hospital to renew a special permit under these provisions. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through an All Facilities Letter or similar instruction, without taking regulatory action. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2028. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Butte.