(a) (1) Upon admission of a patient to a skilled nursing facility, as defined in subdivision (c) of, an intermediate care facility, as defined in subdivision (d) of, or a nursing facility, as defined in subdivision (k) of, Section 1250, the facility shall ask the patient if he or she would like the facility to provide the patient’s next of kin or agent under a durable power of attorney for health care with materials regarding patients’ rights and responsibilities. If the patient states that he or she would like these materials to be provided, the facility shall do so, in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) (A) The materials provided by the facility pursuant to this subdivision shall include a comprehensive Patients’ Bill of Rights, as described in subdivision (d) of Section 1599.61. Until subdivision (d) of Section 1599.61 is fully implemented by the State Department of Health Services, the Patients’ Bill of Rights provided pursuant to this subdivision shall include all of the following:
(i) The rights contained in Chapter 3.9 (commencing with Section 1599) of Division 2.
(ii) The resident rights applicable to skilled nursing facilities, contained in Section 72527 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(iii) The resident rights applicable to intermediate care facilities, contained in Section 73523 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(iv) The resident rights applicable to long-term care facilities under Sections 483.10 to 483.25, inclusive, of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(B) The facility may also provide written materials regarding the facility’s expectations of patients and patients’ responsibilities while the patient is receiving care at the facility. This paragraph shall not be construed to require the facility to create any additional written materials regarding the facility’s expectations of patients and patients’ responsibilities.
(b) (1) Upon admission of a patient to a general acute care hospital, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250, the hospital shall ask the patient if he or she would like the hospital to provide the patient’s next of kin or agent under a durable power of attorney for health care with materials regarding patients’ rights and responsibilities. If the patient states that he or she would like these materials to be provided, the hospital shall do so, in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) (A) The materials provided by the hospital pursuant to this subdivision shall include a comprehensive Patients’ Bill of Rights, including the regulatory patients’ rights for general acute care hospitals contained in Section 70707 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, and the rights afforded to patients under Section 482.13 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(B) The hospital may also provide written materials regarding the hospital’s expectations of patients and patients’ responsibilities while the patient is receiving care at the hospital. This paragraph shall not be construed to require the hospital to create any additional written materials regarding the hospital’s expectations of patients and patients’ responsibilities.
(c) Upon the request of the patient, or of the patient’s next of kin or agent under a durable power of attorney for health care, a representative of any facility or hospital providing patients’ rights information or other documentation described in this section shall explain the materials provided.
(d) This section shall not be construed to require the disclosure of patient information that would otherwise be exempt from disclosure.
(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 550, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018