Section 2804-A. State task force on clinical practice guidelines and medical technology assessment

1.  A  state  task  force  is  hereby  created  on  clinical  practice
  guidelines  and  medical  technology  assessment  which shall consist of
  sixteen members. At least half of the  membership  shall  be  physicians
  certified  by  specialty  society  boards  officially  recognized by the
  American Board of Medical  Specialties.  Such  physician  board  members
  shall  be  selected  from  nominees  recommended  by specialty societies
  recognized by the American Board of  Medical  Specialties.  Appointments
  shall  be  made  as  follows:  six shall be appointed by the governor of
  which at least two shall be from specialty society nominees; four  shall
  be  appointed by the temporary president of the senate of which at least
  two shall be from specialty society nominees; four shall be appointed by
  the speaker of the  assembly  of  which  at  least  two  shall  be  from
  specialty  society  nominees;  and  one  each  shall be appointed by the
  minority leaders of the senate  and  assembly  both  of  whom  shall  be
  specialty  society nominees.  The commissioner shall also serve as an ex
  officio member of the task force. The membership of the task force shall
  appoint a chairperson who shall be selected by a majority  vote  of  the
  task  force  membership.  All appointments shall be made by April first,
  nineteen hundred ninety-four.
    2. For the purposes of this section, the following  terms  shall  have
  the  following  meanings:  (a) "clinical practice guidelines" shall mean
  systematically developed statements  to  assist  physician  and  patient
  decisions   about   appropriate   health   care  for  specific  clinical
  circumstances; and
    (b) "medical technology" shall mean an instrument or unit of equipment
  or  technique  for  use  as  a  health  related  treatment,  testing  or
  diagnostic tool.
    3.  Task  force  members  shall  receive  no compensation but shall be
  reimbursed for travel expenses incurred  in  the  performance  of  their
  duties.
    4.  The task force may establish medical specialty advisory committees
  to assist in carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this section.
    5. The task force shall solicit the cooperation and  participation  of
  medical  specialty  organizations  recognized  by  the American Board of
  Medical Specialties with clinical  practice  guideline  experience.  The
  state   task   force   shall   meet   as   necessary   to   fulfill  its
  responsibilities.
    6. The task  force,  in  consultation  with  the  commissioner,  shall
  solicit   specific   research  and/or  project  proposals  from  medical
  specialty  societies  recognized  by  the  American  Board  of   Medical
  Specialties  to  promote  the  development  and  application of clinical
  practice  guidelines  and  appropriate  use   of   medical   technology.
  Speciality  societies,  at their option, may incorporate the involvement
  of any  other  organization  which  they  deem  appropriate  into  their
  proposal.  The  task  force  shall  then  recommend  to the commissioner
  specific research projects to be undertaken by  such  specialty  society
  candidates  for  grants and contracts pursuant to subdivision fifteen of
  section two hundred six of  this  chapter.  The  task  force  shall  not
  recommend  any  projects for the purpose of developing clinical practice
  guideline-based reimbursement methodologies or any other regulations.
    7.  The  task  force  in  cooperation  with  the   medical   specialty
  organizations  recognized  by  the American Board of Medical Specialties
  shall issue a report to the  governor  and  legislature  by  May  first,
  nineteen hundred ninety-five which shall:
    (i) describe the current status of practice guidelines, their uses and
  their impact on health care delivery and outcomes;

    (ii)  identify  appropriate  uses  of  practice guidelines and medical
  technology for purposes of improving health care quality and efficiency;
    (iii)  identify  inappropriate uses or applications of practice guide-
  lines and medical technology;
    (iv) identify by what means the uses of practice guidelines should  be
  facilitated, if appropriate or warranted; and
    (v)  identify what role, if any, state government should have relative
  to practice guidelines.
    8. Staff  of  the  department  shall  be  made  available  to  provide
  technical assistance to the task force as necessary.
    * NB Expired June 30, 1996