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Committee hears testimony for statewide time‑sensitive emergencies data repository bill
Summary
Supporters told the House Health Care and Wellness Committee that House Bill 2,232 would create a Department of Health‑operated data repository for trauma, cardiac and stroke events to improve timeliness of care and quality improvement; hospitals warned about resource needs and implementation costs.
House Health Care and Wellness Committee — The House Health Care and Wellness Committee heard testimony Jan. 27 on House Bill 2,232, a proposal to establish a statewide time‑sensitive emergencies data repository that would collect trauma, cardiac and stroke datasets and be operated by the Department of Health under a private contract.
Chris Blake, staff to the committee, summarized the bill’s requirements, including Department of Health selection of relevant data elements, quarterly performance reporting, a statewide quality improvement plan, and assistance to critical access and rural hospitals ‘‘subject to appropriated funds.’’
Representative Partially, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the measure builds on last year’s cardiac and stroke proposal and expands it so a single system can collect data on trauma as well as cardiac and stroke events. He said the bill is linked to another measure that could provide a revenue stream for implementation.
Clinicians who treat emergencies urged the committee to support the bill. Mallory Toman of the Washington chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians said the proposal would ‘‘promote equitable access to care’’ for residents experiencing life‑threatening conditions. Herbie Duber, an emergency physician and Kitsap Public Health officer, cited findings from a 2022 study mandated by substitute Senate Bill 5821, saying the research showed ‘‘huge variation in mortality for heart attacks and strokes depending on where someone lives in Washington state’’ and that in some counties ‘‘you may see a 9 fold difference in survival.’’
Testimony from frontline nurses and emergency physicians emphasized that near‑real‑time analysis and quality improvement processes can improve prehospital and hospital systems of care. Karen Kettner of the Washington State Emergency Nurses Association said a coordinated system would help identify gaps and develop regional QI plans.
The Department of Health’s Katie Holstein said systematic data collection and quality improvement programs ‘‘help us identify gaps in care, reduce disparities, and implement targeted interventions’’ and described the department’s existing EMS and trauma work as a foundation for expansion.
Hospital representatives expressed support for the bill’s goals but cautioned about operational and fiscal realities. Katie Cohen of the Washington State Hospital Association said many hospitals already participate in registries but lack the resources and workforce capacity to absorb new data and reporting requirements at this time.
The committee took public testimony and did not record a formal vote during the hearing. The record shows a range of stakeholder support for the repository’s goals alongside repeated cautions about funding, staffing and the timeline for implementation.
