§ 23-17-19.3. Patients’ visitation rights.
(a) All health care providers as licensed under the provisions of chapter 29 or 37 of title 5 and all health care facilities as defined in § 23-17-2 shall be required to note in their patients’ permanent medical records the name of individual(s) not legally related by blood or marriage to the patient who the patient wishes to be considered as immediate family member(s), for the purpose of granting extended visitation rights to the individual(s), so the individual(s) may visit the patient while he or she is receiving inpatient health care services in a health care facility.
(b) A patient choosing to designate individual(s) as immediate family members for the purpose of extending visitation rights may choose up to five (5) individuals and do so either verbally or in writing. This designation shall be made only by the patient and can be initiated and/or rescinded by the patient at any time, either prior to, during, or subsequent to an inpatient stay at the health care facility.
(c) The full names of designated individual(s), along with their relationship to the patient, shall be recorded in the patient’s permanent medical records, both at the inpatient health care facility and with the patient’s primary care physician.
(d) In the event the patient has not had the opportunity to have this designation recorded in his or her medical records, a signed statement in the patient’s own handwriting attesting to the designation of the individual(s) as an immediate family member for the purpose of extending visitation rights during the provision of health care services in an inpatient health care facility, along with their relationship to the individual(s) shall meet all the requirements of this chapter. The patient’s signature on a signed statement shall be witnessed by two (2) individuals, neither of whom can be the designated individual(s). In the event a signed statement is not available, those designated as agents on a durable power of attorney for health care form shall be allowed visitation privileges.
(e) This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit legally recognized members of the patient’s family from visiting the patient if they have not been so designated through the provisions of this chapter. No patient shall be required to designate individual(s) under the provisions of this chapter.
History of Section.P.L. 1998, ch. 335, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 23-17 - Licensing of Healthcare Facilities
Section 23-17-1. - Short title.
Section 23-17-2. - Definitions.
Section 23-17-3. - Purpose of provisions.
Section 23-17-4. - License required for healthcare facility operation.
Section 23-17-4.1. - Rules and regulations for school-based health centers.
Section 23-17-5. - Application for license.
Section 23-17-5.2. - Additional information required for license renewal of all nursing facilities.
Section 23-17-6. - Issuance of license — Posting — Transfer — Conditions.
Section 23-17-7. - Expiration and renewal of license.
Section 23-17-8. - Denial, suspension, or revocation of license.
Section 23-17-8.1. - Curtailment of activities.
Section 23-17-9. - Judicial review of license action.
Section 23-17-10.1. - Financial regulation of health maintenance organizations.
Section 23-17-10.3. - Special care unit disclosure by facilities.
Section 23-17-10.5. - Medical director and attending physician file.
Section 23-17-10.6. - Nursing facility wandering hazard prevention plans.
Section 23-17-11. - Abortion and sterilization — Protection for nonparticipation — Procedure.
Section 23-17-12. - Inspections — Nursing facilities.
Section 23-17-12.1. - Scope of inspections.
Section 23-17-12.2. - Time for correction of defects.
Section 23-17-12.3. - Penalty for violation of §§ 23-17-12 — 23-17-12.2.
Section 23-17-12.4. - Enforcement of §§ 23-17-12 — 23-17-12.2.
Section 23-17-12.5. - Complaints — Nursing homes.
Section 23-17-12.6. - Independent quality monitor, quality consultant and temporary manager.
Section 23-17-12.7. - Adverse change in financial condition.
Section 23-17-12.8. - Posting of nursing staff levels in nursing facilities.
Section 23-17-12.9. - Resident and family notification.
Section 23-17-12.10. - Quality predictive modeling — Established.
Section 23-17-12.11. - Nursing facility quality improvement program.
Section 23-17-13.1. - Health services council.
Section 23-17-14. - Functions of health services council.
Section 23-17-14.1. - Immunity for council members.
Section 23-17-14.2. - Compensation.
Section 23-17-14.3. - Review criteria.
Section 23-17-14.4. - Procedures for review.
Section 23-17-15. - Information confidential.
Section 23-17-15.1. - Reports public.
Section 23-17-16. - Annual report of activities.
Section 23-17-17. - Penalty for operation of unlicensed health care facility.
Section 23-17-18. - Obtaining treatment or services under false pretenses.
Section 23-17-19. - Injunction to restrain operation without license.
Section 23-17-19.1. - Rights of patients.
Section 23-17-19.2. - Posting of law.
Section 23-17-19.3. - Patients’ visitation rights.
Section 23-17-20. - Inapplicability.
Section 23-17-21. - Power of enforcement.
Section 23-17-22. - Severability.
Section 23-17-23. - Hospital disciplinary powers.
Section 23-17-24. - Internal risk management program.
Section 23-17-25. - Privileges and immunities for peer review activities.
Section 23-17-26. - Emergency health care.
Section 23-17-27. - Disclosure of nonparticipation in hospital service plan.
Section 23-17-28. - Health care cost containment.
Section 23-17-29. - Applicability.
Section 23-17-30. - Blood or tissue transfer services.
Section 23-17-31. - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing — Hospitals.
Section 23-17-31.1. - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing — Facilities for drug users.
Section 23-17-32. - Mammograms — Quality assurance standards.
Section 23-17-33. - Pap smears — Quality assurance standards.
Section 23-17-35. - Prior criminal records checks.
Section 23-17-36. - Rules and regulations.
Section 23-17-37. - Disqualifying information.
Section 23-17-38. - Establishment of fees.
Section 23-17-38.1. - Hospitals — Licensing fee.
Section 23-17-39. - Immunity from liability.
Section 23-17-40. - Hospital and freestanding emergency-care facility events reporting.
Section 23-17-41. - Employer/employee relationships.
Section 23-17-42. - Home nursing care providers — Uncompensated care provisions.
Section 23-17-43. - Charity care requirements.
Section 23-17-45. - Quality standards for volume related tertiary services.
Section 23-17-46. - Financial interest disclosure.
Section 23-17-47. - Identification badges.
Section 23-17-48. - Labor disputes/actions.
Section 23-17-49. - Surgical procedures — General provisions.
Section 23-17-51. - Magnetic resonance imaging — Quality assurance standards.
Section 23-17-52. - Department of health concern line.
Section 23-17-53. - Physician contracts.
Section 23-17-54. - Provisions of interpreter services.
Section 23-17-55. - Severability.
Section 23-17-56. - School based health centers — Special requirements and exceptions.
Section 23-17-59. - Safe patient handling.
Section 23-17-60. - Compilation and publication of the charges for common hospital procedures.
Section 23-17-61. - Written estimates for hospital medical services.
Section 23-17-62. - Criminal records review — Long-term care hospital.
Section 23-17-63. - Patient safety — Circulating nurses required in operating rooms.
Section 23-17-64. - Influenza immunization.
Section 23-17-65. - Transparency of ownership in healthcare facilities.