§ 23-47-02 — Acute cardiovascular emergency medical system - Duties of department

1. Following consultation with and receipt of a recommendation of the acute
cardiovascular emergency medical system of care advisory committee, the department
shall establish and maintain a comprehensive emergency cardiovascular medical
system for the state. The system must include standards for the following components:
a. A system plan.
b. Prehospital emergency medical services.
c. Hospitals, for which the standards must include:
(1) Standards for designation, redesignation, and dedesignation of receiving
and referring centers.
(2) Standards for evaluation and quality improvement programs for designated
centers.
(3) Recognition of a hospital as a STEMI receiving center or as a STEMI
referring center. In making such recognition, the standards must include
consideration of whether the hospital is:
(a) Accredited as a mission: lifeline STEMI receiving center or mission:
lifeline STEMI referring center by the society of cardiovascular patient
care and the American heart association accreditation process; or
(b) Accredited by a department-approved, nationally recognized
organization that provides mission: lifeline STEMI receiving center and
mission: lifeline STEMI referring center accreditation or a substantive
equivalent.
d. System registries, for which the components must include a plan for achieving
continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under the
statewide system, including for STEMI response and treatment.
(1) In implementing this plan, the department shall maintain a statewide STEMI
heart attack database that aggregates information and statistics on heart
attack care.
(2) To the extent possible, the department shall coordinate with national
voluntary health organizations involved in STEMI heart attack quality
improvement to avoid duplication and redundancy.
(3) Designated receiving centers shall participate in the registry.
2. The proceedings and records of the program are not subject to subpoena, discovery,
or introduction into evidence in any civil action arising out of any matter that is the
subject of consideration by the program.