SB 314 Summary

• Requires hospitals to offer patients age 55 and older (or their guardians) the opportunity to designate a lay caregiver to provide after-care and participate in discharge planning.

• Hospitals must record the designated lay caregiver's contact information and relationship to the patient in the medical record, and request consent to share the patient's medical information with the lay caregiver.

• Hospitals must notify the designated lay caregiver of discharge or transfer plans as soon as practicable and include the lay caregiver in discharge plan reviews when appropriate and available.

• Discharge plans may include descriptions of after-care tasks the lay caregiver will perform, taking into account the caregiver's capability, and hospitals must provide culturally sensitive instruction with live demonstrations of required tasks.

• Protects discharging health care professionals from criminal prosecution, professional discipline, and civil liability for decisions regarding lay caregiver participation; designation is voluntary and does not obligate the designated individual to provide care.