Plain English Breakdown
The official status label says 'Enacted', but the effective date is listed as July 1, 2026. The source text confirms this future start date.
New Rules for Hospital Patient Directories
This law requires general acute care hospitals to tell patients and their representatives how they can stop the hospital from sharing certain information in a patient directory.
What This Bill Does
- Requires hospitals to inform patients or their representatives about privacy rules at admission or as soon as reasonably possible during emergencies or if the patient cannot speak for themselves.
- Mandates that hospitals explain patients have the right to restrict or block the use of their health information in hospital directories.
- Orders hospitals to give a separate written document acknowledging these privacy practices.
- Requires hospital staff to verbally tell patients about these rights and options.
Who It Names or Affects
- General acute care hospitals
- Patients admitted to general acute care hospitals
- Representatives acting on behalf of patients
Terms To Know
- Patient directory
- A list kept by a hospital that shares basic patient information like name, address, age, sex, and general reason for treatment with people who ask.
- Protected health information
- Private medical details about a person that laws protect from being shared without permission.
Limits and Unknowns
- The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.
- The text does not specify the exact wording hospitals must use when speaking to patients.
- No state reimbursement is required for these new rules.