A bill that would allow more New Jersey facilities to perform certain cardiac interventions passed the full state Senate with a 35-1 vote on Dec. 17, according to Insider NJ.
Sponsored by Sens. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, and Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen/Passaic, the legislation would permit hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery units to apply for licensure to perform interventions such as diagnostic cardiac catheterization, primary angioplasty and elective angioplasty services.
Any hospital issued a license to offer elective angioplasty procedures would have two years to meet the volume requirements specified in the bill. Currently, only 29 hospitals in New Jersey are licensed to provide elective angioplasty. Most are clustered in just 14 of the state's 21 counties.
"This legislation seeks to open the access to this procedure more widely, to more facilities, so that all those who seek to benefit from such surgeries and procedures are not hampered by logistical obstacles," Mr. Sarlo said.