<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="19-112" title_number="19" title_name="Health Care Facilities" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Health Care Planning and Systems Regulation">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Center” means a Patient Safety Center designated by the Commission.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Fund” means the Maryland Patient Safety Center Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On or before December 31, 2025, the Commission shall designate a Center for the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Center designated under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall continue to act as the State–designated Center for the duration of the designation period, as determined by the Commission, if the Center continuously meets the standards and requirements established by the Commission.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The designated Center shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Develop, coordinate, and implement patient safety initiatives across the State;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Be a model for patient safety innovation and implementation in the State;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Convene health care providers, patients, and families to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Improve the quality of health care and reduce preventable and avoidable harm; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Provide safe and equitable health care for State citizens; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Share information relating to best practices among providers and patients in the State.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Patient Safety Center Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the Fund is to subsidize a portion of the costs of the Center so that the Center may perform the duties described under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Commission shall administer the Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Interest earnings; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The Fund may be used only to subsidize a portion of the costs of the Center so that the Center may perform the duties described under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>For fiscal years 2023 through 2025, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $1,000,000 for the Fund.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $1,000,000 for the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission may provide an annual grant from the Fund to the Center in the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) of this subsection, plus any interest and other income distributed to the Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Money expended from the Fund for the Center is supplemental to, and is not intended to take the place of, funding that otherwise would be appropriated for the Center.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>On or before October 1 each year, the Commission, in conjunction with the Center, shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and Government Operations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Center’s statewide activities related to the development, coordination, and implementation of patient safety initiatives; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>How the Center’s statewide initiatives align with State–designated priorities.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
