Bill > S2931

This bill requires certain healthcare facilities in New Jersey, including hospitals, nursing homes, and extended care facilities, to provide information about palliative care and hospice care services to patients with a serious illness, or to their designated decision-makers, ensuring this information is "appropriate" meaning it aligns with legal, health, and professional standards, as well as the patient's circumstances and wishes. Palliative care is defined as medical care focused on improving quality of life by managing suffering from serious illness, addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, and discussing treatment options including hospice care. Hospice care is described as a coordinated program offering home, outpatient, and inpatient services for individuals in the final stages of illness and their families, encompassing a wide range of medical, social, and emotional support. The bill also establishes a "Palliative Care and Hospice Care Consumer and Professional Information and Education Program" within the Department of Health, to be developed and implemented by a newly formed Palliative Care and Hospice Care Advisory Council, which will collaborate with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey to ensure comprehensive information and education are available to the public and healthcare providers.