The proposed bill aims to establish the West Virginia Timely Transplant Referral and Veteran Care Coordination Act, which introduces mandatory timelines and protocols for organ transplant referrals by healthcare providers. Specifically, it requires that licensed healthcare providers initiate a referral to an appropriate transplant center within three calendar days of documenting that a patient meets the medical criteria for organ transplant candidacy, unless there is a documented medical contraindication. Additionally, the bill mandates the Department of Health to create rules establishing automatic clinical referral triggers based on recognized clinical scoring systems for end-stage organ disease, ensuring timely evaluations for transplant referrals.

Furthermore, the bill emphasizes transparency by requiring healthcare providers to provide written confirmation of the referral status to patients and authorized family members within seven calendar days of initiating a referral. This confirmation must include essential details such as the date of referral initiation and contact information for the transplant center. The Department of Health is also tasked with collecting aggregate data on transplant referrals and submitting an annual report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, which will help assess the effectiveness of the referral process and identify any disparities in rural areas.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-67-1, 16-67-2, 16-67-3, 16-67-4