§1711-D. Designation of visitors in hospital settings
1.Designation of visitors.
A patient in a hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 405 may designate persons to be considered as immediate family members
for the purpose of granting visitation rights. The following provisions apply to the designation of visitors under this section.
A. The patient must be 18 years of age or older or a minor who is authorized by law to consent to health care. [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
B. The patient must be a patient in a critical care unit that restricts visitors to immediate family members, or emergency
room that restricts visitors to immediate family members. [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
C. The patient may designate visitors under this section by communicating the designation to a health care provider at the
hospital orally or in writing. The patient may designate visitors, change the designation or revoke the designation at any
time. [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
D. A hospital shall provide to patients in the hospital a process by which to designate visitors under this section and shall
note in the patient's medical record the names of designated visitors, the date of the designation and any changes in the
designation. [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
E. Except as provided in subsection 2, a hospital may not deny visitation to the patient by a designated visitor during hospital
visiting hours. [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
[
2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW)
.]
2.Exceptions.
A hospital may deny visitation with a patient to any visitor designated under this section if:
A. The hospital denies all visitors; [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
B. The hospital determines that the presence of the visitor might endanger the health or safety of the patient or interfere
with the primary operations of the hospital; or [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
C. The patient has communicated orally or in writing the choice not to visit with the visitor. [2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).]
[
2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW)
.]
3.Rulemaking.
By March 1, 2002, the department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.
[
2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW)
.]
SECTION HISTORY
2001, c. 378, §1 (NEW).
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