AVAILABILITY OF HOSPICE CARE IN HOSPITALS
House Bill 5255
Sponsor: Rep. Artina Tinsley Hardman
Committee: Health Policy
Complete to 10-17-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5255 AS INTRODUCED 10-17-01
Part 215 of the Public Health Code provides for the licensing and regulation of hospitals. House Bill 5255 would amend this part of the code to add a requirement that a hospital notify patients of the availability of hospice care in the hospital at the time of admission.
Specifically, the bill would require that the hospital provide written notification to a patient or his or her guardian or legal representative of the availability or lack of availability of hospice care in the hospital, beginning January 1, 2002. The written notice would have to be provided in a specific paragraph located in the admission documents, which would have to be signed or initialed by the patient, guardian, or representative before the patient was admitted. If the hospital failed to comply with this requirement, the admission documents could be rendered void at the option of the patient, guardian, or representative. The hospital would have to include any signed document informing the individual of the availability of hospice care or lack thereof in the patient's medical record file. (The bill does not state whether an initialed document would have to be kept on file.)
"Hospice" would mean "a health care program that provides a coordinated set of services rendered at home or in outpatient or institutional settings for individuals suffering from a disease or condition with a terminal prognosis."
MCL 333.21534
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.