CA SB1238

Licensed health care professionals must assess patients for followup care following stabilization in an emergency department or postsurgical outpatient service, including options for discharge, transfer, or inpatient admission.

Outpatients must be discharged or admitted to inpatient status after no more than 24 hours, but as soon as reasonable and medically appropriate, with frequent reassessment for changes in condition.

Outpatient stays longer than 24 hours are permitted to arrange safe discharge, arrange public social services, or when inpatient admission conflicts with federal Medicare reimbursement requirements, with the State Department of Public Health authorized to specify additional circumstances by regulation.

Hospitals must document in the patient's medical record when outpatient stays exceed 24 hours and the medical reason necessitating the extended stay.

Care extended beyond 24 hours without inpatient admission requires active monitoring with frequent reassessment for condition changes and placement as soon as medically appropriate.