Seton coming around on DWI blood draws
Hospitals administrators working with
prosecutors
Updated: Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009, 1:46 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 24 Jul 2009, 9:06 PM CDT
* Erin Cargile
BURNET COUNTY (KXAN) – Seton Family of Hospitals , the largest healthcare system in Central Texas, could soon be opening their doors to blood draw warrants, even when DWI suspects refuse.
Seton administrators met with Burnet County officials Friday. It was the first time the two parties had met since legislators passed a new blood warrant law .
Liability concerns are the main reasons Seton nurses have been advised not to follow court orders to draw blood when police bring a DWI suspect in who did not consent to a blood-alcohol test.
Special “no refusal” weekends run smoothly in Austin because extra nurses are on hand to draw blood from DWI suspects.
In Burnet County law enforcement officers can get a DWI blood warrant on any given day. They are still driving most suspects at least 45 minutes away to a Llano County hospital because Seton Highland Lakes Hospital will not accept a search warrant.
Despite the set back, the county says the program has been a success since it began ten months ago.
“Blood results are coming back at somewhere around an average of 0.18 [blood-alcohol level],” said Assistant Burnet County Attorney Katherine McAnally. “And we’ve had as high as a 0.40.”
According to McAnally, they county has gone from 55-percent of DWI suspects refusing a blood test, to a mere 3-percent. The change has helped prosecutors build stronger court cases.
“It’s leading to being better able to hold them accountable and get them the treatment they need,” said McAnally.
Even more encouraging news for prosecutors during a meeting Friday between Seton administrators and Burnet County officials.
Seton Family of Hospitals’ Vice President Greg Hartman e-mailed the following statement after the meeting:
“The Seton Family of Hospitals had a very positive meeting today with Burnet County officials regarding DWI blood draws. We are working on a plan to assist law enforcement in their efforts to keep citizens safe and drunk drivers off the road.”
A new piece of legislation paved the way for Seton to lean on the law when liability issues arise.
There are still details to work out, including who will pay for nurses’ time to testify in court when they are drawn into DWI cases. Burnet County is confident they’ll reach a solution soon.
“We absolutely are excited to be able to get back in our own jurisdiction and be able to do these draws here in our local hospitals,” said McAnally.
The two parties plan on meeting again in the next few weeks. Burnet County would like to see Seton’s new procedures in place by September 1, which is when the new blood draw law takes effect.
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/hill_country/Seton_coming_around_on_DWI_blood_draws
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