Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Health Care & Wellness Committee

SSB 6327

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Providing for hospital discharge planning with lay caregivers.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Senators Bailey, Keiser, Nelson, Conway, Mullet and Dammeier).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Requires hospital discharge policies and criteria to provide an opportunity for patients to designate a lay caregiver and include lay caregivers in discharge planning.

Hearing Date: 2/23/16

Staff: Ariele Landstrom (786-7190).

Background:

Hospitals are required to establish and maintain a system for discharge planning. They also must establish written policies and procedures to:

A health care provider, an individual who assists a health care provider in the delivery of health care, or an agent and employee of a health care provider may not disclose health care information about a person to any other person without the patient's written authorization. A health care provider or facility may disclose health care information, except information related to sexually transmitted diseases, about a patient without the patient's authorization to the extent a recipient needs to know the information, if the disclosure is to a person who the provider or facility reasonably believes is providing health care to the patient.

Federal law allows hospitals to share information that is directly relevant to the involvement of a spouse, family member, friend, or other person identified by the patient, in the patient's care.

Summary of Bill:

"Lay caregiver" is defined as any individual designated as such by a patient who provides aftercare assistance to a patient living in the patient's residence.

Hospital discharge policies must ensure that a discharge plan is appropriate for a patient's physical condition and emotional and social needs. If a lay caregiver is designated, the discharge policies must take into consideration the lay caregiver's abilities as disclosed to the hospital.

As part of a patient's individualized treatment plan, the discharge criteria must include the following:

Hospitals are not required to adopt discharge policies or criteria that:

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.