Relates to the identification of individuals who provide face-to-face care to or direct observation of a patient
Summary
This bill amends the Public Health Law to modify a patient’s right to know the name, position, and functions of people who provide face-to-face care or direct observation in a hospital. Under current law, hospitals must identify those individuals to the patient, including medical students and certain physicians exempt from New York licensure. The bill adds an exception allowing a hospital to withhold full-name identification when doing so could jeopardize the personal safety of the individual.
When the safety exception applies, the hospital must limit identification in medical records and other information provided to the patient to the individual’s employee identification number, first name, and first initial of the last name. The bill would take effect 120 days after becoming law. Its practical effect is to balance patient transparency with staff safety, while preserving some identifying information for accountability and recordkeeping.
Impact
The bill would amend section 2803 of the Public Health Law, narrowing the existing disclosure requirement for hospitals by creating a safety-based exception to full-name identification of bedside or observing personnel. It would affect hospitals, patients, medical students, exempt physicians, and other staff who provide direct patient care or observation, and would change what information may appear in medical records and be disclosed to patients when safety concerns are present.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or recorded vote is available, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to gauge sentiment. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a protective, narrowly tailored change intended to support staff safety without eliminating patient access to basic information about caregivers.
Contention
The main point of contention is the tension between patient rights to know who is providing care and the safety of individual healthcare workers. Supporters would likely emphasize protecting staff from harassment or retaliation, while opponents may worry that limiting full-name disclosure reduces transparency, accountability, and the patient’s ability to identify caregivers. The bill resolves that tension by allowing limited identification only when full-name disclosure could place personal safety in jeopardy.
Limits the identification of individuals who provide face-to-face care to or direct observation of a patient to their employee identification number, first name and first initial of last name when full name identification may place the personal safety of such individual in jeopardy; requires complainants to only submit their employer's address in cases involving an alleged offense against a hospital worker.
Limits the identification of individuals who provide face-to-face care to or direct observation of a patient to their employee identification number, first name and first initial of last name when full name identification may place the personal safety of such individual in jeopardy; requires complainants to only submit their employer's address in cases involving an alleged offense against a hospital worker.
Requires insurance companies to establish and maintain API to facilitate patient and provider access to health information; includes patient access, provider directory and payer to payer exchange.
Requires hospitals to obtain verbal and written informed consent from a patient or representative before including such patient's information in a general hospital facility directory.
Requires hospitals to obtain verbal and written informed consent from a patient or representative before including such patient's information in a general hospital facility directory.
Prohibits hospitals, health systems, and health care providers from charging facility fees that are not covered by the patient's health insurance carrier.