Public Health Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF PROPHYLACTIC AND EMERGENCY CARE TO HOSPITAL PATIENTS
SUMMARY: This act allows hospitals to use protocols and policies, sometimes referred to as “standing orders,” to treat patients under certain conditions. Specifically, it allows a hospital to provide care to a patient, without a physician's order, after assessing for contraindications and according to a physician-approved hospital policy. This can be done only if the care (1) is emergent, timely, and necessary or (2) advances care as permitted under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) regulations on “Conditions of Participation for Hospitals” (42 CFR Part 482).
The act also allows a hospital to provide any prophylactic care or treatment to healthy newborns born at the hospital or admitted to the hospital nursery, without a physician's order, after assessing for contraindications and according to a physician-approved hospital policy. This care or treatment must be allowed under the CMS regulations cited above.
It also makes a technical change.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2011. (PA 11-242 (§ 78) changed the effective date to July 1, 2011. )
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