Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act

Amendments to Public Health Service Act regarding stroke programs

(a)

Stroke education and information programs

Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Stroke education, information, and data collection programs

399FF.

Stroke prevention and education campaign

(a)

In general

The Secretary shall carry out an education and information campaign to promote stroke prevention and increase the number of stroke patients who seek immediate treatment. (b)

Authorized activities

In implementing the education and information campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary may— (1)make public service announcements about the warning signs of stroke and the importance of treating stroke as a medical emergency; (2)provide education regarding ways to prevent stroke and the effectiveness of stroke treatment; and (3)carry out other activities that the Secretary determines will promote prevention practices among the general public and increase the number of stroke patients who seek immediate care. (c)

Measurements

In implementing the education and information campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1)measure public awareness before the start of the campaign to provide baseline data that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the public awareness efforts; (2)establish quantitative benchmarks to measure the impact of the campaign over time; and (3)measure the impact of the campaign not less than once every 2 years or, if determined appropriate by the Secretary, at shorter intervals. (d)

No duplication of effort

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall avoid duplicating existing stroke education efforts by other Federal Government agencies. (e)

Consultation

In carrying out this section, the Secretary may consult with organizations and individuals with expertise in stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.

399GG.

Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry and Clearinghouse

The Secretary, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall maintain the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry and Clearinghouse by— (1)continuing to develop and collect specific data points and appropriate benchmarks for analyzing care of acute stroke patients; (2)collecting, compiling, and disseminating information on the achievements of, and problems experienced by, State and local agencies and private entities in developing and implementing emergency medical systems and hospital-based quality of care interventions; and (3)carrying out any other activities the Secretary determines to be useful to maintain the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry and Clearinghouse to reflect the latest advances in all forms of stroke care.

399HH.

Stroke definition

For purposes of this part, the term stroke means a brain attack in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted or in which a blood vessel or aneurysm in the brain breaks or ruptures.

399II.

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

(b)

Emergency medical professional development

Section 1251 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d–51) is amended to read as follows:

1251.

Medical professional development in advanced stroke and traumatic injury treatment and prevention

(a)

Residency and other professional training

The Secretary may make grants to public and nonprofit entities for the purpose of planning, developing, and enhancing approved residency training programs and other professional training for appropriate health professions in emergency medicine, including emergency medical services professionals, to improve stroke and traumatic injury prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. (b)

Continuing education on stroke and traumatic injury

(1)

Grants

The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, may make grants to qualified entities for the development and implementation of education programs for appropriate health care professionals in the use of newly developed diagnostic approaches, technologies, and therapies for health professionals involved in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of stroke or traumatic injury. (2)

Distribution of grants

In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give preference to qualified entities that will train health care professionals that serve areas with a significant incidence of stroke or traumatic injuries. (3)

Application

A qualified entity desiring a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a plan for the rigorous evaluation of activities carried out with amounts received under the grant. (4)

Definitions

For purposes of this subsection: (A)The term qualified entity means a consortium of public and private entities, such as universities, academic medical centers, hospitals, and emergency medical systems that are coordinating education activities among providers serving in a variety of medical settings. (B)The term stroke means a brain attack in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted or in which a blood vessel or aneurysm in the brain breaks or ruptures. (c)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the allocation of grants under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the results of activities carried out with amounts received under this section. (d)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. The Secretary shall equitably allocate the funds authorized to be appropriated under this section between efforts to address stroke and efforts to address traumatic injury.

Pilot project on telehealth stroke treatment

(a)

Establishment

Part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 330L the following:

330M.

Telehealth stroke treatment grant program

(a)

Grants

The Secretary may make grants to States, and to consortia of public and private entities located in any State that is not a grantee under this section, to conduct a 5-year pilot project over the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 to improve stroke patient outcomes by coordinating health care delivery through telehealth networks. (b)

Administration

The Secretary shall administer this section through the Director of the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. (c)

Consultation

In carrying out this section, for the purpose of better coordinating program activities, the Secretary shall consult with— (1)officials responsible for other Federal programs involving stroke research and care, including such programs established by the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act; and (2)organizations and individuals with expertise in stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. (d)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

The Secretary may not make a grant to a State or a consortium under this section unless the State or consortium agrees to use the grant for the purpose of— (A)identifying entities with expertise in the delivery of high-quality stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation; (B)working with those entities to establish or improve telehealth networks to provide stroke treatment assistance and resources to health care professionals, hospitals, and other individuals and entities that serve stroke patients; (C)informing emergency medical systems of the location of entities identified under subparagraph (A) to facilitate the appropriate transport of individuals with stroke symptoms; (D)establishing networks to coordinate collaborative activities for stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation; (E)improving access to high-quality stroke care, especially for populations with a shortage of stroke care specialists and populations with a high incidence of stroke; and (F)conducting ongoing performance and quality evaluations to identify collaborative activities that improve clinical outcomes for stroke patients. (2)

Establishment of consortium

The Secretary may not make a grant to a State under this section unless the State agrees to establish a consortium of public and private entities, including universities and academic medical centers, to carry out the activities described in paragraph (1). (3)

Prohibition

The Secretary may not make a grant under this section to a State that has an existing telehealth network that is or may be used for improving stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, or to a consortium located in such a State, unless the State or consortium agrees that— (A)the State or consortium will use an existing telehealth network to achieve the purpose of the grant; and (B)the State or consortium will not establish a separate network for such purpose. (e)

Priority

In selecting grant recipients under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to any applicant that submits a plan demonstrating how the applicant, and where applicable the members of the consortium described in subsection (d)(2), will use the grant to improve access to high-quality stroke care for populations with shortages of stroke-care specialists and populations with a high incidence of stroke. (f)

Grant period

The Secretary may not award a grant to a State or a consortium under this section for any period that— (1)is greater than 3 years; or (2)extends beyond the end of fiscal year 2012. (g)

Restriction on number of grants

In carrying out the 5-year pilot project under this section, the Secretary may not award more than 7 grants. (h)

Application

To seek a grant under this section, a State or a consortium of public and private entities shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, the Secretary shall require each such application to outline how the State or consortium will establish baseline measures and benchmarks to evaluate program outcomes. (i)

Definition

In this section, the term stroke means a brain attack in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted or in which a blood vessel or aneurysm in the brain breaks or ruptures. (j)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

(b)

Study; reports

(1)

Final report

Not later than March 31, 2013, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a study of the results of the telehealth stroke treatment grant program under section 330M of the Public Health Service Act (added by subsection (a)) and submit to the Congress a report on such results that includes the following: (A)An evaluation of the grant program outcomes, including quantitative analysis of baseline and benchmark measures. (B)Recommendations on how to promote stroke networks in ways that improve access to clinical care in rural and urban areas and reduce the incidence of stroke and the debilitating and costly complications resulting from stroke. (C)Recommendations on whether similar telehealth grant programs could be used to improve patient outcomes in other public health areas. (2)

Interim reports

The Secretary of Health and Human Services may provide interim reports to the Congress on the telehealth stroke treatment grant program under section 330M of the Public Health Service Act (added by subsection (a)) at such intervals as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

Rule of construction

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish Federal standards for the treatment of patients or the licensure of health care professionals.