Sec.19a-495-6h. Patient rights and hospice inpatient facility responsibilities

(a) The licensee shall have a written bill of rights and responsibilities governing services, which shall be provided and explained to each patient, family or representative at the time of admission. The medical record of each patient shall contain documentation of compliance with this provision.

(1) The patient's rights and responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to:

(A) Be afforded considerate and respectful care;

(B) Receive effective pain management and symptom control on a twenty-four hour basis for the palliation and management of the terminal illness and related conditions;

(C) Be involved in the development of the patient centered plan of care;

(D) Be fully informed of one's condition;

(E) Refuse care or treatment;

(F) Choose an attending physician;

(G) Have a confidential medical record;

(H) Be free from mistreatment, neglect, or verbal, mental, sexual, and physical abuse, including injuries of unknown source, and misappropriation of patient property;

(I) Receive information about the services covered under the hospice benefits, which shall include but not be limited to a description of available services, unit charges and billing mechanisms;

(J) Receive information about the scope of services that the hospice inpatient facility shall provide and specific limitations on those services including, but not limited to, the hospice inpatient facility's policy on uncompensated care and criteria for admission to and discharge from service;

(K) Receive an explanation of the grievance procedure and the right to file a grievance without discrimination or reprisal regarding treatment or care to be provided or regarding the lack of respect for property by anyone providing hospice care;

(L) Receive information concerning the procedure for registering complaints with the commissioner and information regarding the availability of the Medicare toll-free hotline, including telephone number, hours of operation for receiving complaints; and

(M) Be free from unnecessary restraint and seclusion.

(b) The licensee shall ensure compliance with subsection (a) of this section and shall:

(1) Immediately investigate all complaints made by a patient, family, representative, hospice inpatient facility employee, volunteer or contractor regarding the quality or appropriateness of treatment or care provided to a patient;

(2) Ensure that any employee or volunteer of the hospice inpatient facility or any contractor having reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a patient has been abused, neglected or mistreated reports the abuse, neglect or mistreatment to the administrator and Department. An oral report to the administrator shall be made immediately. A written report to the administrator and Department shall be made as soon as practicable but no later than twenty-four hours after said employee, volunteer or contractor has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a patient has been abused, neglected or mistreated;

(3) Ensure that all allegations of patient abuse, neglect or mistreatment are thoroughly investigated. Such investigation shall be initiated within twenty-four hours of the oral report and concluded within five days of receipt of the written report;

(4) Ensure that any further potential abuse, neglect or mistreatment has been prevented while the investigation is in progress; and

(5) Report the results of all investigations to the Department not more than five days after the investigation has concluded.

(c) Unanticipated events resulting in hospitalization or death of any patient shall be immediately investigated and reported to the administrator and Department within twenty-four hours. All patient deaths occurring within the hospice inpatient facility that are suspicious or unnatural, including, but not limited to, trauma, a drug overdose, poisoning, or an infectious disease with epidemic potential shall immediately be reported to the hospice inpatient facility's administrator and the Department.

(Effective July 31, 2012)