§ 16-21-12-8 — Provision of preferred means to contact lay caregiver; use by hospital; notification to lay caregiver if patient unable

(a) If a patient or the patient's health care
representative designates a lay caregiver, and provides the written
consent and the other information described in section 7(c) of this
chapter, the hospital shall, as soon as practicable before the patient's
discharge from the hospital, provide the patient or the patient's health
care representative with an opportunity to advise hospital personnel of
a preferred means of contacting the lay caregiver.
(b) If the patient or the patient's health care representative advises
hospital personnel of a preferred means of contacting the designated
lay caregiver under subsection (a), the hospital shall, when attempting
to contact a patient's designated lay caregiver, attempt to use the
preferred means of contact provided in subsection (a) if the preferred
means of contact is permitted by the hospital and is readily available
for use by hospital personnel when attempting to contact the lay
caregiver.
(c) If hospital personnel, in the exercise of their professional
judgment, determine that a patient lacks the physical or mental capacity
to accurately and timely notify the patient's lay caregiver of the patient's
pending discharge or transfer to another facility, the hospital shall,
within a reasonable time before the patient's discharge or transfer,
attempt to notify the patient's lay caregiver of the pending discharge or
transfer.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.137-2015, SEC.6.