Patients' and residents' rights to visitors in a health care facility, restricting visitation, and liability for the actions of visitors.
Impact
This legislation has significant implications for state laws governing health care facilities in Wisconsin. By mandating that patients with disabilities can designate up to three support persons and ensuring that at least one of them can be present, the bill supports enhanced patient care and mental well-being. Additionally, it enforces compassionate care visitation rights, allowing residents to receive visitors that alleviate their mental distress, thereby improving overall resident satisfaction and quality of life. However, it also imposes specific requirements on health care facilities to accommodate these rights under various public health circumstances.
Summary
Assembly Bill 257 introduces amendments to existing statutes regarding the rights of patients and residents in health care facilities, particularly focusing on how visitation is managed. The bill aims to expand patient rights to receive visitors, stressing the importance of allowing designated support persons, especially for patients with disabilities. It caters to the emotional and functional needs of patients and seeks to balance these needs with health safety protocols such as those imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing guidelines for facility conduct during such situations.
Contention
Notably, as facilities must comply with these regulations, there is a provision concerning limited liability to protect them from legal repercussions in certain instances. This aspect could raise concerns among staff who may feel pressured to allow visitors in scenarios that could risk patient safety or disrupt care protocols. Additionally, health care facilities are permitted to restrict visitation under specific circumstances, which may lead to dichotomies in how visitor policies are implemented across different establishments. The balance between patient rights and infection control, particularly in preventing outbreaks, showcases the bill's attempt to navigate complex healthcare challenges within the current legislative framework.
Relating to health care facilities; to add Section 22-21-437 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to require health care facilities to adopt certain visitation policies; to provide that patients have a right to certain visitation; to allow patients to designate an essential caregiver and to guarantee that caregiver certain visitation rights; to prohibit a health care facility from adopting a visitation policy that is more stringent than certain employee policies; to prohibit a health care facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination or from prohibiting consensual physical contact between visitors and patients; to provide for the circumstances in which patients may not be denied visitors who are not essential caregivers; to require health care facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department of Public Health; to require the Department of Public Health to develop a mechanism for complaints; to provide certain immunity from liability in certain circumstances; and to repeal Sections 22-21-430 through 22-21-436, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to hospital visitation during a public health emergency.
Relating to health care facilities; to add Section 22-21-437 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to require health care facilities to adopt certain visitation policies; to provide that patients have a right to certain visitation; to allow patients to designate an essential caregiver and to guarantee that caregiver certain visitation rights; to prohibit a health care facility from adopting a visitation policy that is more stringent than certain employee policies; to prohibit a health care facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination or from prohibiting consensual physical contact between visitors and patients; to provide for the circumstances in which patients may not be denied visitors who are not essential caregivers; to require health care facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department of Public Health; to require the Department of Public Health to develop a mechanism for complaints; to provide certain immunity from liability in certain circumstances; to exempt certain psychiatric care facilities from the provisions of this bill; and to repeal Sections 22-21-430 through 22-21-436, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to hospital visitation during a public health emergency.
Relating to health care facilities; to add Section 22-21-437 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to require health care facilities to adopt certain visitation policies; to provide that patients have a right to certain visitation; to allow patients to designate an essential caregiver and to guarantee that caregiver certain visitation rights; to prohibit a health care facility from adopting a visitation policy that is more stringent than certain employee policies; to prohibit a health care facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination or from prohibiting consensual physical contact between visitors and patients; to provide for the circumstances in which patients may not be denied visitors; to require health care facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department of Public Health; to require the Department of Public Health to develop a mechanism for complaints; to prohibit any suspension or modification by emergency rule or order; and to repeal Sections 22-21-430 through 22-21-436, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to hospital visitation during a public health emergency.
Relating to health care facilities; to add Section 22-21-437 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to require health care facilities to adopt certain visitation policies; to provide that patients have a right to certain visitation; to allow patients to designate an essential caregiver and to guarantee that caregiver certain visitation rights; to prohibit a health care facility from adopting a visitation policy that is more stringent than certain employee policies; to prohibit a health care facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination or from prohibiting consensual physical contact between visitors and patients; to provide for the circumstances in which patients may not be denied visitors; to require health care facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department of Public Health; to require the Department of Public Health to develop a mechanism for complaints; to prohibit any suspension or modification by emergency rule or order; and to repeal Sections 22-21-430 through 22-21-436, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to hospital visitation during a public health emergency.
Provides relative to visitation of nursing home residents and assisted living facility residents by persons designated as essential caregivers or compassionate care visitors
Establishes "New Jersey No Patient Left Alone Act"; requires certain facilities to establish policies guaranteeing visitation rights for facility residents.
Establishes "New Jersey No Patient Left Alone Act"; requires certain facilities to establish policies guaranteeing visitation rights for facility residents.