DE HB242

Establishes "The No Patient Left Alone Act" requiring Delaware hospitals to permit in-person visitation during states of emergency, pandemics, or infectious disease outbreaks, with limited restrictions.

Allows hospitals to restrict visitors to a minimum of one per day, require health screenings and personal protective equipment, and deny entry to visitors who fail screenings or test positive for infectious disease.

Prohibits hospitals from denying in-person visitation by religious counselors to seriously ill or dying patients, and by doulas providing services to pregnant or postpartum persons; these visits do not count toward daily visitor limits.

Requires hospitals to develop alternative visitation methods (such as video streaming) and provide patient condition updates when in-person visitation is denied, and permits medical professionals to restrict visitation for up to seven days if medically necessary.

Directs the Department of Health and Social Services to enforce the act, with civil penalties of at least $500 per violation per day assessed to hospitals that fail to comply within 24 hours of receiving a written warning.