NRS439B.250. Establishment; members; qualifications of members; election of Chair; compensation of members; members holding public office or employed by governmental entity; vacancies; duties; appointment of advisory committees authorized; acceptance of gifts and grants.

      1.  There is hereby established the Nevada Academy of Health consisting of 13 members as follows:

      (a) The Director or a designee of the Director;

      (b) One member who represents the Nevada System of Higher Education appointed by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada;

      (c) Four members appointed by the Governor;

      (d) Two members appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate;

      (e) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;

      (f) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

      (g) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly; and

      (h) The authorized representative for the State of Nevada of a quality improvement organization of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services which operates in this State or his or her designee.

      2.  The members appointed to the Academy pursuant to subsection 1 must not be Legislators and, to the extent practicable, must:

      (a) Represent agencies and organizations that provide education or training for providers of health care;

      (b) Be advocates for the rights of patients;

      (c) Be recognized academic scholars; or

      (d) Be members of the general public who have specialized knowledge and experience that are beneficial to the Academy.

      3.  The Chair of the Academy must be elected from among the members of the Academy.

      4.  Each member of the Academy who is not an officer or employee of the State serves without compensation and is not entitled to receive a per diem allowance or travel expenses.

      5.  Each member of the Academy who is an officer or employee of the State must be relieved from his or her duties without loss of his or her regular compensation so that the officer or employee may attend meetings of the Committee or the Academy and is entitled to receive the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state officers and employees generally, which must be paid by the state agency that employs the officer or employee.

      6.  The term of office of a member of the Academy is 2 years. A vacancy occurring in the membership of the Academy must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A member of the Academy may be reappointed.

      7.  The Academy shall:

      (a) Perform any duties prescribed by, and comply with all requests from, the Committee;

      (b) Study issues relating to health care in this State, including, without limitation:

             (1) Medical and clinical research;

             (2) The education and training of providers of health care;

             (3) The improvement of accountability within the system of health care in this State;

             (4) The improvement of access to and quality of health care in this State; and

             (5) The improvement of the health of the residents of this State;

      (c) Establish standards and goals concerning the provision of health care which are measurable and regularly evaluated;

      (d) Analyze and evaluate data relating to health care that is created, collected or reviewed by the Committee and the Department;

      (e) Promote cooperation and partnerships between the public and private sectors, including the development and implementation of technology used to provide health care and the establishment of business partnerships that promote economic development in this State;

      (f) Provide to the Committee:

             (1) Such assistance and technical expertise on matters relating to health care as the Committee may request; and

             (2) Advice and recommendations from consumers of health care; and

      (g) Provide to the Department, at the direction of the Committee:

             (1) Technical expertise in matters relating to health care; and

             (2) Advice and recommendations from consumers of health care.

      8.  The Academy may appoint advisory committees if necessary or appropriate to assist the Academy in carrying out the provisions of this section.

      9.  The Academy may accept gifts, grants and donations of money from any source to carry out the provisions of this section.

      (Added to NRS by 2007, 2381; A 2009, 57, 58)