New California Law Requires Hospitals To Increase Caregiver Involvement In Discharge Planning

A new California law requires hospitals to involve family caregivers in the hospitalization and discharge processes. In early December 2015, the California Department of Public Health (DPH) sent a letter to all inpatient facilities to inform them of the new requirements. Under the law, hospitals must identify a patient's caregiver and provide that individual with information about the patient's discharge date and instructions. To avoid criminal liability, hospitals must correctly document the involvement of family caregivers.

The law was proposed as California Senate Bill 675 of 2015, To Increase Hospital Involvement Of Caregivers In Discharge Planning. It was . . .