1. a. A general hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C. 26:2H-1 et seq.) shall establish protocols to request immediate dispatch, timely patient pick-up from the sending hospital, and transport to the receiving hospital by a specialty care transportation unit, or SCTU, used for patient inter-facility transfers.

b. A general hospital shall establish contingency SCTU transport protocols in the event that the hospital’s designated SCTU is not immediately available for dispatch.

c. The Department of Health shall ensure, by means of its periodic inspection of a hospital and such other measures as it deems appropriate, that the hospital has established and implemented the protocols required pursuant to subsections a. and b. of this section.

d. A hospital that fails to comply with the provisions of this act shall be liable to a penalty in accordance with the provisions of sections 13 and 14 of P.L.1971, c.136 (C. 26:2H-13 and C. 26:2H-14).

L.2013, c.67, s.1.