18 Oct Qmetis continues to expand its work in States
Qmetis continues to expand its work in States, advocating for and launching traumatic brain injury pilot programs, and in the case of North Carolina, introducing a pediatric traumatic brain injury effort as well.
North Carolina Legislature OKs $450,000 for traumatic brain injury pilot program
The General Assembly has approved $450,000 in funding to allow between three and five hospitals to participate in a traumatic brain injury pilot program.
However, it could take months to determine which hospitals will participate.
The legislature committed $150,000 to the program in the 2017-18 state budget, and $300,000 in the 2018-19 state budget. The funding goes to the N.C. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse.
Changes to the program’s legislation are contained within Senate Bill 582, a technical corrections bill that passed the legislature Thursday.
Unrelated legislation in SB2 — in particular Republican-sponsored changes to the authorized duties of the state attorney general — may prompt a veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
“The purpose of the pilot program is to increase compliance with internationally approved, evidence-based treatment guidelines for severe adult and pediatric traumatic brain injury in order to reduce patient mortality, improve patient level of recovery, and reduce long-term care costs,” according to SB582.
The program would provide care for adults and youths, so it may be possible that Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and affiliate Brenner’s Children Hospital combine on an application or file separate applications.
The language in SB582 raises the number of potential participants from three to as many as five.
However, legislators stripped a commitment of $100,000 in additional funding for each participating hospital.
“There has been no determination on participating hospitals,” said Cobey Culton, a spokesperson with N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“DHHS anticipates issuing a request for applications that incorporates the changes outlined in SB582,” Culton said.
Dr. Jason Hoth, director of the adult trauma center at Wake Forest Baptist, said that “as the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, we would be very interested in participating in a program like this.”
“We look forward to learning more about it as the information becomes available.”
Cone Health spokesman Doug Allred said Moses Cone Hospital would be interested in applying.
No Comments