Bill > S1153

This bill, titled Relative to CARE (Caregiver, Advise, Record and Enable), aims to enhance support for patients transitioning from hospitals back to their homes by establishing new requirements for hospitals. It defines key terms such as "hospital," "after-care" (assistance provided by a caregiver after a patient leaves the hospital, including help with daily living, medical tasks, or operating equipment), "caregiver" (an individual designated by a patient to provide this after-care), "discharge" (a patient leaving a hospital), "entry" (a patient's admission to a hospital), and "residence" (a patient's home, excluding other healthcare facilities). Under this bill, hospitals must offer patients or their legal guardians the opportunity to designate at least one caregiver within 24 hours of admission and before discharge. If a caregiver is designated and the patient consents to sharing medical information, the hospital must record the caregiver's details in the patient's medical record and provide the caregiver with notice of the patient's discharge or transfer at least 4 hours prior to it. Furthermore, hospitals must consult with the designated caregiver about the patient's after-care needs and provide a discharge plan detailing these needs, the caregiver's capabilities, and contact information for necessary resources. Crucially, hospitals will be required to provide caregivers with hands-on instruction for all after-care tasks outlined in the discharge plan, including demonstrations and opportunities for questions, all documented in the patient's medical record. The Department of Public Health is empowered to create regulations to implement these provisions, and the bill clarifies that it does not interfere with existing healthcare proxy rights.