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Amending Title 6 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Health Code,” by amending Chapter 6-200, entitled “Preventive Medicine,” to require the reporting of information related to substance use treatment, drug overdose treatment, and related information, to the Department of Public Health, all under certain terms and conditions.
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THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Title 6 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
TITLE 6. HEALTH CODE
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CHAPTER 6-200. PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
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§ 6-215. Drug Overdose Reporting Requirements
(1) Each emergency room or department that treats one or more persons for a drug overdose, or for symptoms of withdrawal as the result of drug use, within the quarterly reporting period shall report the following to the Department on a quarterly basis:
(a) aggregated information on all such occurrences, and
(b) a narrative description of substance use disorder treatment resources the
emergency department provided to such patients.
(2) The report required by subsection 6-215(1) shall be in such form and substance as the Board may by regulation prescribe, and the aggregated information required by paragraph 6-215(1)(a) shall, at a minimum, include the number of patients who, within the reporting period, were treated in the emergency department either for a drug overdose, symptoms of withdrawal as the result of drug use, or both. The report shall also include the number of such patients who, at the time of discharge, were:
(a) Provided the substance use disorder treatment resources identified by the
emergency department pursuant to paragraph 6-215(1)(b).
(b) Scheduled to attend an initial appointment with a substance use treatment
provider that has agreed to provide treatment to such patient and such patient has agreed to attend for the purpose of receiving treatment.
(c) Provided a take-home dose of naloxone.
(3) The report required by subsection 6-215(1) shall include such other aggregated information related to the treatment and discharge of patients for a drug overdose, or for symptoms of withdrawal as the result of drug use, as the Board by regulation may direct. Such information may include, but need not be limited to, aggregated information related to the treatment provided to such patients in the emergency room, information and prescriptions provided to such patients on discharge, and the specific types of substance use disorder treatment such patients are scheduled to attend upon discharge.
(4) Aggregated patient information that references a group of fewer than ten (10) patients shall be confidential and shall not be subject to public disclosure or disclosure outside the Department.
(5) The Health Commissioner shall submit on a quarterly basis a written report to the Chief Clerk of Council stating the number of emergency rooms and departments that have submitted reports to the Department pursuant to this Section 6-215 during the immediately preceding quarterly reporting period.
(6) Penalties. Any emergency room or department that violates the provisions of this Section 6-215 shall be subject to the applicable penalties imposed by section 6-103 of this Title.
SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall be effective upon a date set forth in regulations of the Board of Health, not less than sixty (60) days after such regulations become effective.
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