Authorizes the Adirondack Medical Center to operate a part-time off-campus emergency department in the town of North Elba, county of Essex

2 Co-sponsors

• Kemp Hannon
• Catharine Young

BILL NUMBER:S5764B

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the Lake Placid part-time off-campus emergency department demonstration program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Purpose

Authorizes the Adirondack Medical Center to operate a part-time off-campus emergency department in the town of North Elba, county of Essex.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends the public health law to add a new section 2805-x to authorize Adirondack. Medical Center to operate a part-time off-campus emergency department in the town of North Elba. The bill provides that such off-campus emergency department shall operate for at least twelve hours a day, each day of the year and that the emergency department is to meet all requirements established by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services for a provider-based off-campus emergency department as well as those requirements established by the commissioner for emergency services provided by general hospitals. The bill further allows the commissioner to waive those requirements that cannot be reasonably applied to an off-campus part-time emergency department.

Further, the bill requires the commissioner, within eighteen months of the effective date, to submit a report to the governor and the legislature on the services provided at such hospital and the effectiveness of the services in providing care to residents of and visitors to Lake Placid and its surrounding communities and the applicability of such model in other parts of the state.

Section 2 Contains the effective date

Justification

This legislation is being proposed to help Adirondack Medical Center (AMC) serve the Lake Placid community. Currently AMC operates the former Placid Memorial Hospital as an outpatient service facility providing sports medicine and rehabilitation, medical imaging and laboratory services, as well as a 24-hour Emergency Department. This legislation gives AMC for the flexibility to provide a part-time emergency room services open a minimum of twelve hours per day with longer hours provided when needed for coverage of major events in Lake Placid. This facility will operate with conjunction with AMC's hospital located in Saranac Lake to meet the needs of the Lake Placid community.

Legislative history

2012: S. 5764-A Passed Senate; S. 8000-A Referred to Health

Fiscal implications

None to the State

Local fiscal implications

None

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed 5 years after such date.