Health, Dept. of

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Study on Designated Caregivers for Hospital Patients

This bill requires Tennessee's Department of Health to study how designated caregivers are used in hospitals in neighboring states and report findings by December 31, 2026.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the commissioner of health to use existing resources to conduct a study on the use of designated caregivers for admitted patients in hospitals in nearby states.
• The purpose is to determine the prevalence of and identify best practices for the use of designated caregivers.
• The commissioner must compile findings and any legislative recommendations into a report by December 31, 2026.
• This report should be sent to the Senate chief clerk, House of Representatives chief clerk, and legislative librarian.

Who It Names or Affects

• Tennessee's Department of Health
• Hospitals in neighboring states

Terms To Know

Designated caregiver

An individual chosen by a patient to provide after-care assistance at the patient’s home, including relatives, partners, friends, or neighbors.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the study will be conducted.
• It is unclear what legislative recommendations might come from this report.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2347
By Harris

SENATE BILL 2508
By Oliver
SB2508
012593
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68,
relative to healthcare facilities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. The commissioner of health shall use existing resources to conduct a
study of the use of designated caregivers for admitted patients in hospitals in neighboring
states. The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of and identify the best
practices for the use of designated caregivers. As used in this act, "caregiver" means any
individual duly designated as a caregiver by a patient who provides after-care assistance to a
patient living in the patient's residence, and includes, but is not limited to, a relative, partner,
friend, or neighbor who has a significant relationship with the patient. The commissioner shall
compile the findings of the study and any legislative recommendations into a report, and submit
the report to the chief clerk of the senate, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, and the
legislative librarian no later than December 31, 2026. The report may be published and
transmitted by electronic means.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.