MN SF107

Hospitals must offer patients or their agents the opportunity to designate at least one caregiver within 24 hours of hospital entry and before discharge, with special provisions for unconscious or incapacitated patients.

Hospitals must record designated caregiver information in the patient's medical record and are deemed to have obtained written consent to release medical information to the designated caregiver, though patients may revoke this consent at any time.

Prior to discharge to a patient's residence, hospitals must consult with the designated caregiver and patient to issue a discharge plan including caregiver contact information, aftercare task instructions, and relevant health care and community resource contacts.

Discharge plan instructions must include live demonstration or video instruction of aftercare tasks performed by qualified hospital staff or contractors, with opportunities for questions in a culturally competent manner and in compliance with language access requirements.

Hospitals are not obligated to provide discharge information if consent is revoked, and failure to contact the caregiver does not delay discharge if good faith contact efforts are documented; the law does not create a private cause of action or establish a separate standard of care.