Bill > SB297

This bill requires hospitals and freestanding emergency departments in Alabama to report quarterly to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) the total number of hours a physician was physically present and on duty in the emergency department, as well as the total number of hours the department operated without a physician physically present. A physician is considered physically present if they are on-site, immediately available for emergency patient care, and primarily responsible for the department's clinical oversight, meaning they are not just available by phone or telemedicine, located off-site, on-call, or covering multiple departments. The ADPH will then publish this information on its website in a searchable format, and each hospital must also post a clear statement, both online and in the emergency department waiting room, indicating whether a physician is physically present at that moment. Failure to comply with these reporting and posting requirements could lead to the suspension or revocation of a hospital's license, and these provisions will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Health and Social Services

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