West Virginia Code
Article 5B. Hospitals and Similar Institutions
§16-5B-15. Hospital Visitation

(a) A public or private hospital licensed pursuant to the provisions of section two of this article is required to permit patient visitation privileges for nonrelatives unless otherwise requested by the patient or legal designee. For purposes of this section, the term "legal designee" means and includes those persons eighteen years of age or older, appointed by the patient to make health care decisions for the patient pursuant to the provisions of section six, article thirty of this chapter.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that this section facilitate a patient's visitation with nonrelative individuals, and may not, in any way, restrict or limit allowable uses and disclosures of protected health information pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 42 U.S.C. §1320d-2 and the accompanying regulations in 45 CFR 164.500.
(c) No provision of this section may be construed to prevent a hospital from otherwise restricting visitation privileges in order to prevent harm to the patient or disruption to the facility.

Structure West Virginia Code

West Virginia Code

Chapter 16. Public Health

Article 5B. Hospitals and Similar Institutions

§16-5B-1. Health Facilities and Certain Other Facilities Operated in Connection Therewith to Obtain License; Exemptions; Meaning of Hospital, etc.

§16-5B-2. Hospitals and Institutions to Obtain License; Qualifications of Applicant

§16-5B-3. Application for License

§16-5B-4. License Fees

§16-5B-5. Inspection

§16-5B-5a. Accreditation Reports Accepted for Periodic License Inspections

§16-5B-6. State Director of Health to Issue Licenses; Suspension or Revocation

§16-5B-6a. Consumer Majorities on Hospital Boards of Directors

§16-5B-7. Judicial Review

§16-5B-8. State Board of Health to Establish Standards; Director Enforces

§16-5B-9. Hospitals and Similar Institutions Required to Supply Patients, Upon Request, With One Specifically Itemized Statement of Charges Assessed to Patient, at No Cost to Patient

§16-5B-10. Information Not to Be Disclosed; Exception

§16-5B-11. Violations; Penalties

§16-5B-12. Injunction; Severability

§16-5B-13. Hospital-Based Paternity Program

§16-5B-14. The Critical Access Hospital Designation Act

§16-5B-15. Hospital Visitation

§16-5B-16. Public Notice Regarding the Closure of a Licensed Health Care Facility or Hospital

§16-5B-17. Healthcare-Associated Infection Reporting

§16-5B-18. Designation of Comprehensive, Primary, Acute, and Thrombectomy Capable Stroke-Ready Hospitals; Reporting Requirements; Rulemaking

§16-5B-19. Hospital Police Departments; Appointment of Hospital Police Officers; Qualifications; Authority; Compensation and Removal; Law-Enforcement Grants; Limitations on Liability