Authorizes an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination and refer an injured employee for the examination without first obtaining permission from the employee's employer in order to assess the employee's ability to return to work. Allows licensed occupational and physical therapists to be deemed qualified to perform functional capacity examinations. (CD1)
Authorizes the Department of Health to accept accreditation or certification from an accreditation organization or a certification organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as demonstration that a licensed home health agency is in compliance with all licensing inspections required by the State. Specifies conditions under which a home health agency may be exempt from a licensing inspection on a continuing basis throughout the accreditation or certification period. Requires information obtained in reports of survey and accreditation or certification letters to be public information. (CD1)
Amends prohibitions on the use of lead materials in drinking water distribution to align with the Safe Drinking Water Act and related Code of Federal Regulations. (CD1)
Beginning 7/1/2028, allows chiropractic students enrolled in an accredited doctor of chiropractic program to engage in clinical training involving the practice of chiropractic as part of the completion of their degree, under certain conditions. Requires a report to the Legislature. (CD1)
Establishes the Statewide Air Medical Services Program within the Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention Systems Branch to coordinate and strengthen air medical services. Establishes the positions of an air medical director, an air medical program manager, and an air medical coordinator. Specifies that annual licensure and accreditation fees are to be deposited into the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund for costs of the program. (CD1)
Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to purchase one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in the Central Maui area of the County of Maui and fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical services personnel. (CD1)
HB 2314 modernizes Hawaii's emergency medical services (EMS) statutes to align with current best practices. It directly affects EMS providers, ambulance services, and emergency care systems across the state by updating outdated regulations. The bill focuses on revising statutory requirements for training, equipment, and protocols to reflect contemporary medical standards. This update aims to improve the efficiency and quality of emergency care delivery without specifying new funding or penalties.
Expands the protections established under Act 2, SLH 2023, to include gender-affirming health care services, including clarifying permitted disclosures of protected health information to address changes in federal regulations. Establishes protections against abusive litigation. Prohibits medical malpractice insurers and health carriers from taking certain adverse actions against health care providers solely on the basis that the health care provider provides lawful reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services. (SD2)
Amends the functions and responsibilities of the State Health Planning and Development Agency. Adds a new definition of "health care" for the purposes of health planning and resource development and health care cost control. Increase the certificate of need exemption threshold for bed changes to up to thirty per cent of existing licensed beds. Exempts health care facilities or services operated by the Department of Health from certificate of need requirements. (CD1)
Clarifies that community mental health outpatient programs that have agreed to provide mental health services to a defendant as part of an assisted community treatment order may prepare a certificate for assisted community treatment and provide the certificate to a defendant and may file an assisted community treatment petition with the Family Court. (CD1)
