Article 4. Infant Medical Dispatch Centers of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 106. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 4.

The Legislature finds that intensive care nurseries for at-risk infants are often at capacity. It further finds that serious delays can occur in placing critically ill newborn infants in intensive care nurseries due to calls being placed to many hospitals. Additionally, valuable staff time is often taken by a capacity nursery in attempting to find another nursery with an available bed. It is further found that, due to the lack of a centralized dispatch system, at-risk infants are often not placed in the intensive care nursery nearest their homes. Therefore, the Legislature finds that in order to protect the health of critically ill newborn children and to more efficiently utilize space and staff in intensive care nurseries it is necessary to establish 24-hour-a-day, year-round medical dispatch centers linking all hospitals providing obstetrical services with intensive care nurseries.

The department shall establish two dispatch centers, each to be located at a hospital containing an intensive care nursery that has been approved by the department.

One of the centers established pursuant to Section 123750 shall be located to serve the region of the state north of the Tehachapi Mountains, and one of the centers shall be located to serve the region south of the Tehachapi Mountains.

The centers shall locate bedspace for critically ill newborn infants nearest their homes, locate and dispatch transport for the infants and for appropriate medical personnel, advise the obstetrical nursery regarding maintenance care of the infant until transport is effected, and keep a daily record of the availability of bedspace in all intensive care nurseries. Nothing in this article shall obligate the state for transport costs other than those already authorized by law.

Funds appropriated to carry out the purposes of this article shall be used for leasing or purchasing communication equipment or time; and for hiring, training, or contracting for personnel and administration of the centers.

Public and private nonprofit health facilities, organizations, and educational institutions are eligible to receive center funds under this article.

Each infant medical dispatch center established pursuant to this article shall annually report on the progress of the project, the status of the data base obtained pursuant to Section 123760, and any necessary changes to meet the goals prescribed in Section 123760 to the Legislature upon request of either the Joint Legislative Budget Committee or other interested committees or Members of the Legislature.