Bill > HR2936

This bill addresses emergency department crowding and hospital bed capacity by making several key changes to existing healthcare laws. First, it amends the Public Health Service Act to allow grants that can be used to develop state or region-wide, real-time systems for tracking hospital bed capacity and how that capacity impacts emergency department wait times, boarding rates, and EMS personnel waiting times. The bill also requires creating a public-facing dashboard with this information, while protecting patient privacy. Additionally, it expands the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation's pilot programs to include research-focused improvements in emergency care for two specific populations: older adults and individuals experiencing acute psychiatric crises. These improvements could include changes in staffing, physical infrastructure, care protocols, and coordination between emergency departments and post-acute care facilities. Lastly, the bill mandates a study by the Comptroller General to determine best practices for tracking hospital capacity across various healthcare settings, assess how such tracking systems impact emergency department performance, and report findings to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment.