08 LC 28
3859
Senate
Resolution 722
By:
Senators Shafer of the 48th, Williams of the 19th, Moody of the 56th, Johnson of
the 1st, Rogers of the 21st and others
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
To
create the Grady Oversight Committee; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority operates the Grady Health System and Henry
W. Grady Memorial Hospital which constitute this state´s largest hospital
and health care system; which treat patients primarily from the metropolitan
Atlanta area but also treat patients from all areas of the state; and which play
a major role in the training of medical professionals in the State of Georgia;
and
WHEREAS,
the Grady Health System and Henry W. Grady Memorial Hospital have experienced
and continue to experience significant financial problems which imperil their
existence; and
WHEREAS,
the continued existence of these facilities is a vital concern to the state as a
whole and, in particular, to the local governments of the metropolitan Atlanta
area; and
WHEREAS,
the operation of the Grady Health System and Henry W. Grady Memorial Hospital by
the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority is not only of an interest and concern to
the metropolitan Atlanta region, but also is state wide in scope;
and
WHEREAS,
the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority was created pursuant to the Hospital
Authorities Law enacted by the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS,
it is incumbent upon the members of the General Assembly to periodically review
the efficiency and effectiveness with which such authority is meeting its
legislatively created purposes.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
(a)
There is created the Grady Oversight Committee to be composed of three members
of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate and three members of the
House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives. The appointed members of the committee shall serve two-year
terms concurrent with their terms as members of the General Assembly. The
chairperson of the committee shall be appointed for a one-year term of office
and shall be appointed for odd-numbered years by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives from the membership of the committee and for even-numbered years
by the President of the Senate from the membership of the committee. Vacancies
in an appointed member´s position or in the office of chairperson of the
committee shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the
original appointment.
(b) The committee shall periodically inquire into and review the operations, contracts, safety, financing, organization, and structure of the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority and its operation of the Grady Health System and Henry W. Grady Memorial Hospital, as well as periodically review and evaluate the success with which said authority is accomplishing its legislatively created purposes.
(b) The committee shall periodically inquire into and review the operations, contracts, safety, financing, organization, and structure of the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority and its operation of the Grady Health System and Henry W. Grady Memorial Hospital, as well as periodically review and evaluate the success with which said authority is accomplishing its legislatively created purposes.
SECTION
2.
The
state auditor and the Attorney General shall make available to the committee the
services of their staffs, facilities, and powers in order to assist the
committee in its discharge of its duties set forth in this resolution. The
committee may employ staff and secure the services of independent accountants,
health professionals, and consultants. Upon authorization by joint resolution
of the General Assembly, the committee shall have the power while the General
Assembly is in session or during the interim between sessions to compel the
attendance of witnesses and the production of documents in aid of its duties.
In addition, when the General Assembly is not in session, the committee shall
have the power to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of
documents in aid of its duties, upon application of the chairperson of the
committee with the concurrence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President of the Senate.
SECTION
3.
The
Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority shall cooperate with the committee, its
authorized personnel, the Attorney General, and the state auditor in order that
the duties of the committee, set forth in this resolution, may be timely and
efficiently discharged. The authority shall submit to the committee such
reports and information as the committee shall reasonably require of the
authority in order that the committee may adequately inform itself of the
activities of the authority required by this resolution. The Attorney General
is authorized to bring appropriate legal actions to enforce any laws
specifically or generally relating to the authority or as to any subpoenas
issued by the committee. The committee shall, on or before the first day of
January of each year, and at such other times as it deems to be in the public
interest, submit to the General Assembly a report of its findings and
recommendations based upon the review of the operations of the Fulton-DeKalb
Hospital Authority, as set forth in this resolution.
SECTION
4.
In
the discharge of its duties, the committee shall evaluate the performance of the
authority in providing public health services consistent with the following
criteria:
(1)
Public safety;
(2)
Prudent, legal, and accountable expenditure of public funds;
(3)
Responsiveness to community needs and community desires;
(4)
Economic vitality of the health system and economic benefits to the
community;
(5)
Efficient operation; and
(6)
Impact on the health care delivery system of the metropolitan Atlanta area and
the State of Georgia.
To
assist in evaluating the performance of the authority, the committee may appoint
a citizens´ advisory committee or committees. Such citizens´ advisory
committee or committees shall act in an advisory capacity only.
SECTION
5.
(a)
The committee is authorized to expend state funds available to the committee for
the discharge of its duties. Said funds may be used for the purposes of
compensating staff personnel; paying for services of independent accountants,
health professionals, and consultants; paying necessary expenses of the
citizens´ advisory committee or committees; and paying all other necessary
expenses incurred by the committee in performing its duties.
(b) The members of the committee shall receive the same compensation, per diem, expenses, and allowances for their service on the committee as is authorized by law for members of interim legislative study committees.
(c) The funds necessary for the purposes of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to and available to the legislative branch of government.
(b) The members of the committee shall receive the same compensation, per diem, expenses, and allowances for their service on the committee as is authorized by law for members of interim legislative study committees.
(c) The funds necessary for the purposes of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to and available to the legislative branch of government.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that nothing contained within this resolution shall relieve
the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority of the responsibilities imposed upon it
under the Hospital Authorities Law.