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H. 4966
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Hill, Gagnon, Burns, Elliott, Chumley, Magnuson, Willis, Trantham, G.R. Smith, Stringer, V.S. Moss, Bannister, Haddon, Jones and McCravy
Document Path: l:\council\bills\cc\15701vr20.docx
Introduced in the House on January 21, 2020
Currently residing in the House Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
Summary: Perinatal Integration Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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1/21/2020 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 6)
1/21/2020 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and
Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 6)
1/28/2020 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Burns, Elliott,
Chumley, Magnuson, Willis, Trantham, G.R.Smith,
Stringer, V.S.Moss, Bannister, Haddon
2/4/2020 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Jones
2/6/2020 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: McCravy
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "PERINATAL INTEGRATION ACT OF 2020" BY ADDING SECTION 44-89-110 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO INTEGRATE BIRTHING CENTERS AND MIDWIVES INTO THE ORGANIZATION OF PERINATAL LEVELS OF CARE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Whereas, collaboration among health professionals can improve safety and quality, particularly when care is transferred from low to high resource settings; and
Whereas, poor coordination of care across providers and birth settings has been associated with adverse maternal-newborn outcomes; and
Whereas, South Carolina has a Midwifery Integration Score of 34 out of 100 according to a 2018 study "Mapping integration of midwives across the United States: Impact on access, equity, and outcomes" by Vedam S, Stoll K, MacDorman M, Declercq E, Cramer R, Cheyney M, et al. In this study, lower scores were correlated with lower rates of physiologic birth, more obstetric interventions, and more adverse neonatal outcomes; and
Whereas, licensed midwives or birthing centers in a community setting should be afforded access to initiate smooth transitions for mothers who encounter complications during childbirth; and
Whereas, the ability of midwives to function autonomously to their full scope of practice in community settings, in collaboration with other members of the health system, can enhance cost-effectiveness and accessibility of maternity care, particularly in rural or impoverished communities. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act may be known and cited as the "Perinatal Integration Act of 2020".
SECTION 2. Chapter 89, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 44-89-110. (A) The department shall promulgate regulations that integrate birthing centers and midwives into the organization of perinatal levels of care. These regulations must include, but are not limited to:
(1) access to physician-to-provider consultation available twenty-four hours a day;
(2) transfer methods and protocols from the licensed midwife or birthing center to a hospital within a fifty mile radius which provides level 1 or higher perinatal services;
(3) access to professional continuing education relating to safe transfers and escalation of care; and
(4) collection of data on transfer outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transfer of care from a licensed midwife or birthing center to a hospital.
(B) Nothing in this section may be construed to allow or require the department or hospitals to promulgate regulations or requirements that restrict the scope of practice, change existing licensure requirements, or impose any other regulation or requirement on licensed midwives or birthing centers other than the methods and protocols for transfer of a patient to a hospital.
(C) For purposes of this section:
(1) 'Integrate' means to facilitate the full exercise of scope of practice, autonomy, self-regulation, collaboration, and smooth transition between licensed midwives or birthing centers and hospitals which provide perinatal services. 'Integrate' does not mean to supervise licensed midwives or birthing centers.
(2) 'Licensed midwife' means a 'lay midwife' or a 'certified nurse-midwife' as those terms are defined in Section 44-89-30.
(3) 'Perinatal levels of care' means the regulatory implementation of ACOG Levels of Maternal Care recommendations as implemented in Regulation 61-16, South Carolina Code of Regulations."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on
February 6, 2020 at 10:30 AM