The Delaware House Health & Human Development Committee advanced four bills to the full House, including contested neonatal care standards legislation (HB 327) that drew a dissenting vote and sharp criticism that its Level 4 NICU requirements were written around Nemours Children's Health rather than AAP guidelines, while also releasing a kratom regulation bill (HB 332) pending enforcement amendments.
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Representative Jones Giltner argued the bill's Level 4 requirements go above and beyond AAP standards and that, since Nemours is the only Delaware hospital with a Level 4 NICU, 'we are defining this based on Nemours,' potentially restricting ChristianaCare's planned relationship with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Kristen Dwyer of Nemours responded that 'there's nothing about this that restricts or prevents Christiana from working with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.' Representative Ross Levin noted the bill had already been significantly trimmed from an earlier, longer list through negotiation.
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“And I think that's a key point here. It's not just about surgery. You can check the box by saying that you have surgical care available, even if not on site. But we also heavily rely on our pediatric anesthesiologists, our pediatric radiologists, our pediatric emergency physicians, the whole array of pediatric medical specialists, including neonatologists and others. I, unlike Dr. Eckhauser, I have practiced in hospitals that don't have level four NICU status and that don't have CSV status. And it puts the surgeon and the patient in a really difficult position when sometimes we may be operating on an acutely ill baby with an anesthesiologist who's not used to managing that level of care in a small child. And we feel we have to be keeping an eye on the anesthesia care, we're interpreting radiology”
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Sign in to subscribeIn our proceedings. The health committee is now called to order. The the public can participate virtually by registering through the meeting link on the General Assembly's website. Instructions for providing public comment are available on the website under this committee's meeting notice and will also be shared during the public comment section of this hearing. Written comments may be submitted to Housecommitteecommentelaware.gov any comments received within 24 hours after the hearing will will be included in the public record. Members physically present. Members of the public physically present may sign up to speak upon the bill they wish to speak upon. Please note that any votes that will be taken shall be done so in a roll call manner. We will also be offering the bills for signatures for absent members. If it receives enough signatures for release from the committee, it will be reported out on the legislative website and announced on the House floor during session. Let's begin today's meeting with a roll call attendance of members. Present. Representative Chuquocha. Present. Representative Neal. Representative Burns. Present. Representative Harris. Representative Heffernan. Representative Johnson. Representative Morrison. Representative Ross Levin. Present. Representative K. Smith. Present. Yes. Thank you. Representative Snyder.…
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