SECTIONS 123750-123775 - California Statutes

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

SECTION 123750-123775

123750. The Legislature finds that intensive care nurseries for
at-risk infants are often at capacity. It further finds that serious
delays can occur in placing critically ill newborn infants in
intensive care nurseries due to calls being placed to many hospitals.
Additionally, valuable staff time is often taken by a capacity
nursery in attempting to find another nursery with an available bed.
It is further found that, due to the lack of a centralized dispatch
system, at-risk infants are often not placed in the intensive care
nursery nearest their homes.
Therefore, the Legislature finds that in order to protect the
health of critically ill newborn children and to more efficiently
utilize space and staff in intensive care nurseries it is necessary
to establish 24-hour-a-day, year-round medical dispatch centers
linking all hospitals providing obstetrical services with intensive
care nurseries.

123753. The department shall establish two dispatch centers, each
to be located at a hospital containing an intensive care nursery that
has been approved by the department.

123755. One of the centers established pursuant to Section 123750
shall be located to serve the region of the state north of the
Tehachapi Mountains, and one of the centers shall be located to serve
the region south of the Tehachapi Mountains.

123760. The centers shall locate bedspace for critically ill
newborn infants nearest their homes, locate and dispatch transport
for the infants and for appropriate medical personnel, advise the
obstetrical nursery regarding maintenance care of the infant until
transport is effected, and keep a daily record of the availability of
bedspace in all intensive care nurseries.
Nothing in this article shall obligate the state for transport
costs other than those already authorized by law.

123765. Funds appropriated to carry out the purposes of this
article shall be used for leasing or purchasing communication
equipment or time; and for hiring, training, or contracting for
personnel and administration of the centers.

123770. Public and private nonprofit health facilities,
organizations, and educational institutions are eligible to receive
center funds under this article.

123775. Each infant medical dispatch center established pursuant to
this article shall annually report on the progress of the project,
the status of the data base obtained pursuant to Section 123760, and
any necessary changes to meet the goals prescribed in Section 123760
to the Legislature upon request of either the Joint Legislative
Budget Committee or other interested committees or Members of the
Legislature.