The bill aims to enhance pediatric patient care in hospital emergency departments across Florida by introducing several new requirements. It mandates that hospitals develop and implement specific policies and procedures for pediatric care, including training staff annually on these protocols, which must cover areas such as triage, vital signs measurement, and medication dosage calculations. Additionally, each emergency department is required to designate a pediatric emergency care coordinator responsible for ensuring adherence to these policies and to conduct the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment as per established timelines. Hospitals are also permitted to conduct the National Pediatric Readiness Projects Open Assessment in years when the main assessment is not performed.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing regulations to require the Agency for Health Care Administration to establish minimum standards for pediatric patient care in emergency departments, in consultation with the Florida Emergency Medical Services for Children State Partnership Program. It also mandates the collection and publication of assessment scores from hospitals, with specific deadlines for reporting. The agency is tasked with publishing these scores annually, along with comparisons to national averages, to promote transparency and improve pediatric care standards. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.