HI HB2252

Requires Hawaii hospitals (licensed under section 321-14.5, excluding children's and specialty hospitals) to adopt written discharge policies that allow patients to designate a caregiver prior to hospital discharge.

Mandates hospitals include in discharge policies: opportunities for patients and caregivers to participate in discharge planning, instruction on after-care needs, and notification of discharge to the designated caregiver as soon as practicable.

Requires documentation of the designated caregiver's name and contact information in the patient's electronic health record, with policies based on standards from The Joint Commission or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Clarifies that caregivers designated under this chapter have no authority to make health care decisions unless separately designated as an agent under Hawaii's health care directive law.

Protects hospitals and their employees from liability for services provided or not provided by caregivers at the patient's residence and preserves third-party payer obligations for covered health care items and services.

Effective July 1, 2017.