HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 142

(By Delegates Perdue, Hatfield, Barill, D. Campbell, Ferns, Lawrence, Marshall, Moore, Poore, Fleischauer, Moye, Perry, Phillips, Rodighiero, Staggers, Border, Ellington, Householder and Rowan)

[Originating in the Committee on Health and Human Resources; Reported 2011.]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to conduct a study on timely delivery of medications and timely testing procedures to nursing home patients in transition.

    WHEREAS, Nursing home patients typically have no advocates, thus making them rely heavily on staff and nursing home administrators for their services; and

    WHEREAS, Nursing home patients need both medications readily available to them at all times and timely testing procedures to be executed; and

    WHEREAS, Nursing homes businesses with large numbers of homes typically order medications from a central location and often contract with testing companies long distances away (sometimes even being out of state); and

    WHEREAS, When nursing home patients transition from a rehabilitation center or hospital to a nursing home, there can be issues that arise when medications are prescribed from the rehabilitation center or a urine or blood test is requested to be administered; and

    WHEREAS, In the event a nursing home is unable to receive the necessary medications for a resident or perform a test which the results are needed in a timely fashion, a procedural backup plan and/or a local relationship with a local hospital is needed to be in place to address potentially life threatening problems; and

    WHEREAS, It is the hopes of the WV Legislature that each nursing home in the state shall have the ability to have an emergency plan to give medications and perform prompt procedures to their patients in emergency situations; therefore be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to conduct a study on timely delivery of medications and timely testing procedures be performed to nursing home patients in transition; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the Legislature, on the first day of the regular session, 2012 on its findings, conclusions and recommendations together with drafts of any legislation to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.