(A) If at any time a patient requests that a nurse call his or her attending physician regarding the patient's personal medical care, the nurse shall place a call to the attending physician or his or her designee to inform him or her of the patient's concern. If the patient is able to communicate with and desires to call his or her attending physician or designee, upon the patient's request, the nurse must provide the patient with the telephone number and assist the patient in placing the call. A nurse or other clinical staff to whom such a request is made or who receives multiple requests may notify his or her immediate supervisor for assistance.

(B) Each hospital must provide a mechanism, available at all times, through which a patient may access prompt assistance for the resolution of the patient's personal medical care concerns.

For purposes of this section, "mechanism" means a telephone number, beeper number, or other means of allowing a patient to independently access the patient assistance system and must not be construed as requiring a patient to request information or assistance in order to access the system; however, a clinical staff member or clinical trainee must promptly access the system on behalf of a patient if a patient requests such assistance. A description of this mechanism and the method for accessing it must be included in the written material described in Section 44-7-3440.

(C) The hospital must establish procedures for the implementation of the mechanism, providing for initiation of contact with administrative or supervisory clinical staff who shall promptly assess, or cause to be assessed, the urgent patient care concern and cause the patient care concern to be addressed.

HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 146, Section 1, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on June 8, 2005).