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Pennsylvania Statutes Title 35 P.S. Health and Safety § 10245. Purpose and duties of committee

Current as of January 01, 2022 | Updated by FindLaw Staff

(a) Purpose.--The purpose of the committee is to conduct a multidisciplinary review of maternal deaths and develop recommendations for the prevention of future maternal deaths.

(b) Duties.--The following apply:

(1) The committee shall review maternal death cases identified by the department from sources including, but not limited to, the following:

(i) Pregnancy check boxes on a decedent's death certificate.

(ii) Vital statistics linkage of birth, fetal death and induced termination of pregnancy records with death records.

(iii) Direct referrals from health care facilities and health care providers.

(iv) Medical examiners and coroners.

(2) In conducting a review of a maternal death case, the committee may review the following:

(i) Medical examiner and coroner's reports or postmortem examination records.

(ii) Death certificates and birth certificates.

(iii) Law enforcement records and interviews with law enforcement officials as long as the release of the records will not jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation or proceeding.

(iv) Medical records from hospitals and other health care providers.

(v) Information made available by firefighters or emergency services personnel.

(vi) Reports and records made available by the court to the extent permitted by law or court rule.

(vii) Reports to animal control.

(viii) Emergency medical services records.

(ix) Traffic fatality reports.

(x) Department of Human Services records.

(xi) Any other records necessary to conduct the review.

(3) Data under paragraph (2) is not limited to summaries, annual reports, abstracts or other abbreviated documents. There shall be a presumption that data requested by the committee shall be relevant and shall be provided to the committee. No data shall be withheld from the committee absent a showing of good cause.

(4) The committee shall summarize causes of death and findings and report recommendations regarding the prevention of maternal deaths.

(5) The committee shall disseminate aggregated, nonindividually identifiable findings and recommendations at least every three years to the secretary, the chairperson of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate, the chairperson of the Health Committee of the House of Representatives, health care providers, health care facilities and the general public.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Pennsylvania Statutes Title 35 P.S. Health and Safety § 10245. Purpose and duties of committee - last updated January 01, 2022 | https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-35-ps-health-and-safety/pa-st-sect-35-10245/

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