The bill amends Section 241.023 of the Health and Safety Code to allow for the issuance of a single license for both a hospital and a mobile stroke unit associated with that hospital. The new provisions specify that the Department of Health can issue one license for a hospital and a mobile stroke unit if the mobile stroke unit is accredited by a healthcare accreditation organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Additionally, the bill modifies existing criteria for issuing a single license for multiple hospitals, including requirements related to governance, geographic proximity, and emergency services standards.

The amendments also include a provision that allows the department to recommend a waiver of certain emergency services standards for a hospital if another hospital included in the license meets those standards and is geographically close. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that the waiver does not apply to licenses issued for mobile stroke units. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission is tasked with adopting necessary rules to implement these changes, with the act set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 241.023 (Health and Safety Code 241)