Requires a large-print version, or at the patient's request an audio recording of the discharge plan and preadmission information to be provided to all blind and visually impaired patients according to the preference of such patient or such patient's representative.

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S328A-2013 Actions

• May 21, 2013: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Feb 21, 2013: PRINT NUMBER 328A
• Feb 21, 2013: AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO HEALTH
• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO HEALTH

S328A-2013 Meetings

Health: May 21, 2013

S328A-2013 Votes

S328A-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S328A

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
providing all blind and visually impaired patients with a large print
version or, upon request of the patient, with an audio recording of
the discharge plan and preadmission information

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to direct hospitals to provide all blind
and visually impaired patients with a large print version or, upon
request of the patient, with an audio recording of the discharge plan
and preadmission information in an effort to allow access to this
sensitive healthcare information while protecting patients' right to
privacy on such matters.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new subdivision 9 to section 2803-i of the public
health law that directs hospitals to provide all blind and visually
impaired patients with a large print version or, at the patient's or
patient's representative's request, as an audio recording available on
either a compact disc, electronically transmitted digital file or
other medium offered by the hospital in addition to a written copy.

Section 2 adds a new section 2803-t of the public health law that
directs hospitals that provide preadmission information to a patient,
shall offer a blind or visually impaired patient a large print
version, or at the patient's or patient's representative's request, as
an audio recording available on either a compact disc, electronically
transmitted digital file or other medium offered by the hospital in
addition to a written copy.

Section 3 sets an effective date of ninety days following enactment of
the law.

JUSTIFICATION:

It is often difficult for patients to remember the extensive
instructions given to them by their doctors upon preadmission to and
discharge from hospital. Blind or visually impaired patients might
also have trouble writing down instructions, which would compound the
difficulty of remembering them. In addition, privacy to sensitive
private health information contained in these types of documents is
lost under current practices when hospital employees read this
information aloud to patients.

This bill requires hospitals to provide blind and visually impaired
patients with a large print version, or upon request an audio
recording, of their preadmission information and discharge plan so
they will have access to their doctors' instructions once they leave
the hospital. This bill is necessary to ensure that such patients are
able to access and follow the instructions given by their doctors and
to protect their privacy of this sensitive information.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:.


2011-12, S.4325/A.1469-A(Rosenthal); 2009-10,
S.8170(Peralta)/A.6671-B(Rosenthal)

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

Undetermined

EFFECTIVE DATE:'

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

S328A-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                   328--A

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 9, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by Sens. AVELLA, ADDABBO, GRISANTI -- read twice and ordered
    printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Health
    --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
    and recommitted to said committee

  AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  providing  all
    blind  and  visually  impaired patients with a large print version or,
    upon request of the patient, with an audio recording of the  discharge
    plan and preadmission information

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Subdivision 9 of section 2803-i of the public health law is
  renumbered subdivision 10 and a new subdivision 9 is added  to  read  as
  follows:

    9.  UPON DISCHARGE OF A BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PATIENT, A HOSPITAL
  SHALL OFFER TO PROVIDE THE PATIENT'S DISCHARGE PLAN  IN  A  LARGE  PRINT
  VERSION  OR,  AT THE PATIENT'S OR PATIENT'S REPRESENTATIVE'S REQUEST, AS
  AN AUDIO RECORDING, TO  BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  SUCH  PATIENT  OR  SUCH
  PATIENT'S REPRESENTATIVE ON COMPACT DISC OR OTHER MEDIUM AS THE HOSPITAL
  MAY OFFER, OR AS AN ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED DIGITAL FILE, IN ADDITION
  TO A WRITTEN COPY OF THE DISCHARGE PLAN.
    S  2.  The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2803-t
  to read as follows:

    S 2803-T. PREADMISSION INFORMATION. ANY HOSPITAL THAT PROVIDES  PREAD-
  MISSION  INFORMATION  TO  A  PATIENT,  SHALL  OFFER  A BLIND OR VISUALLY
  IMPAIRED PATIENT A LARGE PRINT VERSION OR, AT THE PATIENT'S OR PATIENT'S
  REPRESENTATIVE'S REQUEST, AN AUDIO RECORDING, TO BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO
  SUCH  PATIENT  OR SUCH PATIENT'S REPRESENTATIVE ON COMPACT DISC OR OTHER
  MEDIUM AS THE HOSPITAL MAY OFFER, OR AS  AN  ELECTRONICALLY  TRANSMITTED
  DIGITAL FILE, IN ADDITION TO A WRITTEN COPY OF ANY PREADMISSION INFORMA-
  TION.
    S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
  have become a law.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD02139-03-3