BILL REQ. #: S-1710.1

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SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5065
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State of Washington

59th Legislature

2005 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Thibaudeau, Deccio, Jacobsen, Parlette, Kohl-Welles and Keiser)

READ FIRST TIME 02/25/05.

AN ACT Relating to injuries resulting from health care; adding a new section to chapter 70.41 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 70.41 RCW to read as follows:
Hospitals shall have in place policies to assure that, when appropriate, information about unanticipated outcomes is provided to patients or their families or any surrogate decision makers identified pursuant to RCW 7.70.065. Notifications of unanticipated outcomes under this section do not constitute an acknowledgement or admission of liability, nor can the fact of notification, the content disclosed, or any and all statements, affirmations, gestures, or conduct expressing apology be introduced as evidence in a civil action.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 Beginning January 1, 2006, the department shall, during the survey of a hospital, ensure that the policy required in section 1 of this act is in place.

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