Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “21st Century Hospitals Act”.
21st Century Hospitals Act
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study on the state of hospital infrastructure in the United States, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 HHS study on hospital infrastructure
Study— The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with State departments of health and other public health entities, shall conduct a study on the state of hospital infrastructure in the United States.
Topics— The study under subsection (a) shall include the following:
An assessment of barriers to accessing capital for infrastructure at hospitals serving vulnerable populations, such as hospitals described in section 1886(d)(5)(F)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(F)(i), relating to disproportionate share payments), sole community hospitals (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(F)(i)), critical access hospitals (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(mm)(1)), and public hospitals, including—
recommendations for addressing such barriers, which may include recommendations for grants or low-cost borrowing vehicles;
analysis of the impact of such barriers on managing infrastructure at such hospitals, including with respect to life-safety issues and emergency preparedness; and
identification of public funds that are available for—
bringing such hospitals into compliance with applicable laws; and
ensuring that such hospitals and the communities they serve are appropriately prepared for responding to emergencies including public health emergencies.
An assessment of the state of health information technology at hospitals in the United States, including—
the state of electronic medical records and the dependence of hospitals and health systems on technology that is outdated or debunked; and
barriers associated with updating health information technology, including with respect to hardware, software, administrative burden, staff training, and associated costs.
Report— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall complete the study under this section and submit a report on the results of such study to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.