Study on best practices for public health data systems for tracking hospital capacity

(a) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study— (1) to determine best practices for the development and maintenance of public health data systems for tracking hospital capacity (including such systems supported pursuant to section 2823(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by section 2) to ensure that such tracking— (A) is State- or region-wide, real-time (or near real-time), accurate, and scalable; (B) includes tracking of hospital capacity with respect to emergency departments, adult and pediatric intensive care units, inpatient psychiatric services, skilled nursing facilities, and other appropriate types of facilities and services; and (C) is seamlessly and directly integrated with relevant hospital electronic medical records systems; and (2) to assess how implementation of such public health data systems for tracking hospital capacity affects— (A) emergency department boarding rates as determined using quality measures and other metrics that are established and utilized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and others accreditation entities; (B) wait times for treatment and discharge in emergency departments; and (C) the amount of time emergency medical services personnel are waiting in emergency departments to offload patients. (b) Report to Congress Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall— (1) complete the study under subsection (a); and (2) submit to Congress a report on the results of such study.