California · Health and Safety Code - HSC

HSC §1262.6: (a) Each hospital shall provide each patient, upon admission or as soon thereafter as reasonably practical, written information regarding the patient’s right to the following: (1) To be informed of co

What this law says, in plain English

Hospitals must give patients written information about their rights upon admission, including the right to be informed of certain matters.

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(a) Each hospital shall provide each patient, upon admission or as soon thereafter as reasonably practical, written information regarding the patient’s right to the following: (1) To be informed of continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital. (2) To be informed that, if the patient so authorizes, that a friend or family member may be provided information about the patient’s continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital. (3) Participate actively in decisions regarding medical care. To the extent permitted by law, participation shall include the right to refuse treatment. (4) Appropriate pain assessment and treatment consistent with Sections 124960 and 124961. (5) To be free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status as set forth in Section 51 of the Civil Code. (6) Information on how to file a complaint with the following: (A) The State Department of Public Health, in accordance with Section 1288.4. (B) The Civil Rights Department. (C) The Medical Board of California. (b) A hospital may include the information required by this section with other notices to the patient regarding patient rights. If a hospital chooses to include this information along with existing notices to the patient regarding patient rights, any newly required information shall be provided when the hospital exhausts its existing inventory of written materials and prints new written materials.

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