Bill > S1073

This bill modifies Chapter 201D of Massachusetts General Laws to expand the definition of "attending health care provider" beyond just physicians to include nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists. Specifically, the bill replaces references to "attending physician" with "attending health care provider" throughout the chapter and adds language explicitly including nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists in various sections related to capacity determination. This means that in medical settings where a determination of a patient's capacity is being made, not only doctors but also nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists can now serve as the primary health care provider responsible for evaluating and documenting a patient's decision-making capacity. The changes are technical in nature and aim to broaden the range of qualified medical professionals who can make these important medical judgments, potentially improving access to capacity assessments in various healthcare settings.

Health and Social Services, Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1073