Health facilities: cardiac surgery.

Assembly Member Gallagher's proposal directs the California Department of Public Health to modernize regulations governing extracorporeal bypass surgery in acute care hospitals, marking a shift from the current requirement of three surgeons for surgical teams performing these procedures.

The measure requires the Department to update Section 70435(b)(2) of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations by January 1, 2029, to incorporate contemporary professional standards of care for extracorporeal bypass procedures. While the current regulation mandates a specific number of surgeons, the proposed update would allow for standards that reflect evolving cardiac surgery practices and technologies.

The Department of Public Health would oversee implementation and compliance with the revised standards, which would apply to all general acute care hospitals providing cardiovascular operative services. While the measure does not require new appropriations, healthcare facilities may need to adjust their staffing, training, or equipment to meet updated requirements once the Department finalizes the new standards.