2012 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 23 - Health and Safety
Chapter 23-17.26 - Comprehensive Discharge Planning
Chapter 23-17.26-3 - Comprehensive discharge planning.

§ 23-17.26-3 Comprehensive discharge planning. – (a) On or before July 1, 2015, each hospital operating in the State of Rhode Island shall submit to the director:

(1) Evidence of participation in a high-quality comprehensive discharge planning and transitions improvement project operated by a nonprofit organization in this state; or

(2) A plan for the provision of comprehensive discharge planning and information to be shared with patients transitioning from the hospitals care. Such plan shall contain the adoption of evidence-based practices including, but not limited to:

(i) Providing in-hospital education prior to discharge;

(ii) Ensuring patient involvement such that, at discharge, patients, and caregivers understand the patient's conditions and medications and have a point of contact for follow-up questions;

(iii) Attempting to identify patients' primary care providers and assisting with scheduling post-hospital follow-up appointments prior to patient discharge;

(iv) Expanding the transmission of the department of health's continuity of care form, or successor program, to include primary care providers' receipt of information at patient discharge when the primary care provider is identified by the patient; and

(v) Coordinating and improving communication with outpatient providers.

History of Section.
(P.L. 2011, ch. 114, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 119, § 1.)