Delaware § 2003 - Duties and authority of state agency.

§ 2003. Duties and authority of state agency.

(a) The state agency shall compile, correlate, analyze and develop data which it collects pursuant to this chapter. The state agency shall prepare and distribute or make available reports to health-care purchasers, health-care insurers, health-care providers and the public. The data shall be collected in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. Data collected shall be limited to that contained in the Delaware uniform claims and billing data set (UB-04 or successor form).

(b) The state agency shall periodically compile and disseminate reports on the data collected such as charge levels, age-specific utilization patterns, morbidity patterns, patient origin and trends in health-care charges. Prior to release or dissemination of any compilations, the state agency shall provide a specified time for hospitals and nursing homes to review the information they have submitted and to submit corrections. The state agency shall incorporate any valid corrections prior to release. Hospitals and nursing homes shall have the right to provide independent data interpretation which shall be disseminated along with the report.

(c) The state agency shall adopt such policies and procedures as necessary to carry out this chapter.

(d) The state agency shall establish the Hospital Discharge Technical Advisory Committee to study issues such as the collection, compilation, dissemination and confidentiality of data regarding hospital discharge and emergency department data reporting. The Committee shall be comprised of 9 members. These members shall include hospital and nursing home representatives from the Delaware Healthcare Association and the Delaware Health Care Facilities Association. The members shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. Members shall serve a 3-year term and are eligible for reappointment. The state agency may establish other committees as deemed appropriate.

(e) The state agency shall issue annual reports to the General Assembly outlining actions and accomplishments as well as recommendations for changes needed to further the purpose of this chapter.

(f) The state agency may study and issue reports on special medical needs, demographic characteristics, access to health care services and need for financing of health-care services for the entire population or various population subgroups.

(g) The state agency may also study and issue reports on health status issues such as:

(1) The incidence of medical and surgical procedures;

(2) Mortality rates for specified diagnoses and treatments;

(3) Rates of infection for specified diagnoses and treatments;

(4) Morbidity rates for specified diagnoses and treatments;

(5) Readmission rates for specified diagnoses and treatments; and

(6) Rate of incidence for selected diagnoses and procedures.

67 Del. Laws, c. 143, §  1;  69 Del. Laws, c. 347, §  1;  77 Del. Laws, c. 57, §  1;  85 Del. Laws, c. 242, § 1;