HF 2666

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/05/2012 01:49pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; requiring annual reports on nursing personnel staffing in
medical clinics; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
144.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [144.5612] MEDICAL CLINIC; NURSING PERSONNEL STAFFING
LEVELS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Report required. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of monitoring and enhancing
patient care and safety, all entities owning or operating a medical clinic within Minnesota
shall file annual reports for each clinic location with the Minnesota Department of Health
reflecting both patient activity and nursing personnel staffing levels for the preceding
calendar year. For purposes of this section, "nursing personnel" means the paid on-duty
nurses, certified medical assistants, and nursing assistants that provide direct hands-on
patient care.
new text end

new text begin (b) A reporting entity with its principal offices in Minnesota that owns or operates
a clinic in another state shall also file an annual report on patient activity and nursing
personnel staffing levels for each non-Minnesota clinic. An entity required to report under
this section must report the separate number of nursing personnel in each Minnesota clinic
and each out-of-state clinic. The report must describe the number of nurses, certified
medical assistants, and nursing assistants at each clinic. Reports shall be separately
filed annually for each clinic by September 1 for the preceding calendar year beginning
September 1, 2011, for the 2011 calendar year. The reports must state nursing personnel
to patient activity ratio.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Patient activity. new text end

new text begin Patient activity must be stated as the average number of
patients treated by the medical clinic for the reporting year. Nursing personnel staffing
levels shall be the average number of full-time nursing personnel employed at the medical
clinic adjusted for the full-time equivalency of part-time staff.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Posting reports. new text end

new text begin The reports are public documents and must be posted
in a prominent location at each clinic site for review by patients, visitors, and staff.
Copies must also be provided to pertinent collective bargaining representatives of clinic
staff upon request.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Enforcement; penalties. new text end

new text begin Any entity that violates the requirements of this
section is subject to a fine of $300 for each violation. A fine authorized by this subdivision
may be imposed in a civil action brought by the attorney general on behalf of the state
of Minnesota, and shall be deposited in the state treasury.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end