The bill directs the Department of Public Health and Environment to conduct a comprehensive study of the capital needs of rural and frontier hospitals in Colorado. The study aims to assess various aspects of these hospitals, such as:
Compliance with current design and building code standards for health-care facilities.
The age of the core facilities and any additions made to them.
The costs required for renovating or replacing facilities that are identified as having capital needs.
Key Requirements and Timeline:
Completion Date: The department must complete the study and compile the results into a report by June 30, 2026. The report will be presented to the health and human services committees of both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Creation of the Task Force:
The bill also creates a Rural and Frontier Hospital Capital Needs Study Task Force to oversee the study. The task force will have 7 members, including:
3 members who work in rural or frontier hospitals.
1 architect professional.
1 construction contractor professional.
1 representative from hospitals.
1 general public member who lives in a rural or frontier area.
Task Force Responsibilities:
The task force will be responsible for developing and approving the parameters of the study.
It will oversee the study and the creation of the report.
The task force may also hire a private sector consulting company to assist with data collection, research, and outreach to the affected hospitals.
The task force is required to hold its first meeting by October 1, 2025, and continue meeting quarterly until the study is complete.
Funding Contingency:
The study and associated activities will be contingent upon funding being available through gifts, grants, or donations specifically for this purpose.
This bill aims to address the capital needs of rural and frontier hospitals by conducting a thorough study that evaluates their infrastructure and identifies any gaps in meeting current standards. The formation of a task force ensures oversight and input from various professionals and stakeholders. The success of the study depends on securing external funding, which would allow the department and task force to proceed with the study and its goals.
Summary
The bill directs the department of public health and environment
(department) to conduct a study of capital needs for rural and frontier hospitals throughout the state. Specifically, the study must measure the number of studied facilities that are not compliant with current and relevant design and building code standards for health-care facilities, identify the age of core facilities and any additions to them, and estimate costs for renovating or replacing facilities identified as having capital needs. By June 30, 2026, the department must complete the study and compile the results of the study into a report. The report must be presented to the respective health and human services committees of the senate and house of representatives.
The bill also creates the rural and frontier hospital capital needs
study task force (task force). The task force is made up of the following 7 members who must be appointed on or before August 1, 2025:
•
3 members who work in rural or frontier hospitals;
•
One member who is an architect professional;
•
One member who is a construction contractor professional;
•
One member who represents hospitals; and
•
One member of the general public who lives in a rural area or frontier area.
The task force is responsible for developing and approving the parameters of the study and overseeing the study and the report. The task force may also facilitate contracting with a private sector consulting company to assist with data compilation, research, and outreach to rural and frontier hospitals. The task force is required to hold its first meeting by October 1, 2025, and meet at least quarterly after the first meeting until the study and the report are complete.
The study and the requirements imposed on the department, the
task force, and any third-party entity in connection with the study are contingent upon money being available through gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of conducting the study.
