State-listed stroke centers; notification of hospitals.

(1) The agency shall make available on its website and to the department a list of the name and address of each hospital that is certified by a nationally recognized certifying organization as an acute stroke ready center, a primary stroke center, a thrombectomy-capable stroke center, or a comprehensive stroke center. The list of stroke centers must include only those hospitals that have submitted documentation to the agency verifying their certification as an acute stroke ready center, a primary stroke center, a thrombectomy-capable stroke center, or a comprehensive stroke center, which may include, but is not limited to, any stroke center that offers and performs mechanical endovascular therapy consistent with the standards identified by a nationally recognized guidelines-based organization approved by the agency. Each hospital that has attested in an affidavit to the agency that it meets the criteria in this subsection must be certified by a nationally recognized accrediting organization by July 1, 2021.

(2)(a) If a hospital no longer chooses to be certified by a nationally recognized certifying organization or has not attained certification consistent with the criteria in subsection (1) as an acute stroke ready center, a primary stroke center, a thrombectomy-capable stroke center, or a comprehensive stroke center, the hospital shall notify the agency and the agency shall immediately remove the hospital from the list of stroke centers.

(b)1. This subsection does not apply if the hospital is unable to provide stroke treatment services for a period of time not to exceed 2 months. The hospital shall immediately notify all local emergency medical services providers when the temporary unavailability of stroke treatment services begins and when the services resume.

2. If stroke treatment services are unavailable for more than 2 months, the agency shall remove the hospital from the list of stroke centers until the hospital notifies the agency that stroke treatment services have been resumed.

(3) This act is not a medical practice guideline and may not be used to restrict the authority of a hospital to provide services for which it is licensed under chapter 395. The Legislature intends that all patients be treated individually based on each patient’s needs and circumstances.