SCS/SB 495 - Under this act, a hospital may apply for STEMI center designation if such hospital has been accredited as a Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Center by the American Heart Association or another approved nationally-recognized organization. Additionally, no rule or regulation promulgated by the Department of Health and Senior Services shall require hospitals, as a condition of trauma, STEMI, or stroke center designation, to obtain emergency medical services data, unless such data may be obtained from the state database for emergency medical services. Additionally, a hospital shall not be required to comply with an interpretation of a specific provision in a regulation concerning trauma, STEMI, or stroke centers if the hospital can demonstrate that the interpretation of such provision was different for a similarly-situated hospital, unless the Department has subsequently and consistently interpreted such provision for similarly-situated hospitals. The Department shall attend meetings with trauma, STEMI, and stroke centers for the benefit of improved communications, best-practice identification, and facilitation of improvements to the designation process. This act also requires the Department to promulgate rules for the designation of a trauma center and a STEMI center without site review if such hospital is certified by a national body. Finally, this act removes the requirement that the Department generate quarterly regional and state outcome data reports for trauma, stroke, and STEMI centers, the State Advisory Council on EMS, and regional EMS committees. This act is similar to provisions in CCS/SB 50 (2017) and HB 1153 (2017). SARAH HASKINS