Bill > HR1254

This bill, known as the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, aims to improve obstetric emergency care in rural health facilities by establishing several key programs and initiatives. The bill creates an obstetric emergency training program that will develop evidence-based training for healthcare practitioners in rural facilities without dedicated obstetric units, focusing on preparing for, identifying, stabilizing, and safely transferring patients experiencing various pregnancy-related emergencies. It establishes a grant program to support rural healthcare facilities by providing funding for equipment, technical assistance, personnel hiring, and training opportunities to enhance obstetric emergency readiness. The bill also introduces a pilot program for teleconsultation, which will support the development of statewide or regional maternal health telehealth access networks to provide urgent consultative support to rural non-obstetric care settings. Additionally, the bill mandates a comprehensive study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to map maternity ward closures, examine patient transport patterns, and explore models for regional partnerships in rural obstetric care. The legislation authorizes appropriations totaling $25 million across different fiscal years to support these initiatives, with the ultimate goal of improving maternal healthcare access and outcomes in rural areas.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1254/all-info