Upon request of a family member of a resident of a state hospital, community care facility, or health facility, or other person designated by the resident, the facility shall give such family member or the designee notification of the resident’s presence in the facility, the transfer, the diagnosis, the prognosis, the medications prescribed, the side effects of medications prescribed, if any, the progress of the resident, and the serious illness of the resident, if, after notification of the resident that such information is requested, the resident authorizes such disclosure. If, when initially informed of the request for notification, the resident is unable to authorize the release of such information, notation of the attempt shall be made into the resident’s treatment record, and daily efforts shall be made to secure the resident’s consent or refusal of such authorization. However, if a request for information is made by the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the resident and the resident is unable to authorize the release of such information, such requester shall be given notification of the resident’s presence in the facility, except to the extent prohibited by federal law. Upon request of a family member of a resident or the designee, the facility shall notify such family member or designee of the release or death of the resident. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require photocopying of the resident’s medical records in order to satisfy its provisions.
(Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1141, Sec. 2.)