Bill > H4868

This bill mandates that all healthcare facilities establish a "medical chaperone policy," which means they must inform patients that they have the right to request a chaperone, a trained healthcare professional or a designated friend or family member ("familial chaperone"), to be present during "sensitive examinations" – procedures involving intimate body parts or any exam a patient finds uncomfortable. These policies must be provided in multiple languages and documented in the patient's electronic health record, with specific details recorded if a chaperone is requested and present, or if a familial chaperone is used due to the unavailability of a medical chaperone. The bill also requires healthcare facilities to report annually on chaperone usage and mandates that certain healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and therapists, complete a one-time training course on serving as a medical chaperone as part of their continuing education requirements, with a deadline for existing professionals to complete this training within two years of the act's effective date, which is no later than December 31, 2026. Furthermore, it outlines specific informed consent procedures for sensitive examinations performed on anesthetized, deeply sedated, or unconscious patients, requiring separate, explicit written consent unless it's an emergency situation.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on Public Health (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4868