N.Y.
Public Health Law Section 2805-B
Admission of patients and emergency treatment of nonadmitted patients
1.
Every general hospital shall admit any person who is in need of immediate hospitalization with all convenient speed and shall not before admission question the patient or any member of his or her family concerning insurance, credit or payment of charges, provided, however, that the patient or a member of his or her family shall agree to supply such information promptly after the patient’s admission. However, no general hospital shall require any patient or member of his or her family to write or to sign during those times when the religious tenets of such person temporarily prohibit him or her from performing such acts. No general hospital shall transfer any patient to another hospital or health care facility on the grounds that the patient is unable to pay or guarantee payment for services rendered. Every general hospital which maintains facilities for providing out-patient emergency medical care must provide such care to any person who, in the opinion of a physician, requires such care.2.
In cities with a population of one million or more, (a) a general hospital shall provide emergency medical care and treatment to all persons in need of such care and treatment who arrive at the entrance to such hospital therefor. Any general hospital which fails to provide such treatment shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. However, the commissioner may exempt a general hospital from the provisions of this paragraph if he determines such general hospital is structured to provide specialized or limited treatment.(b)
Any licensed medical practitioner who refuses to treat a person arriving at a general hospital to receive emergency medical treatment who is in need of such treatment; or any person who in any manner excludes, obstructs or interferes with the ingress of another person into a general hospital who appears there for the purpose of being examined or diagnosed or treated; or any person who obstructs or prevents such other person from being examined or diagnosed or treated by an attending physician thereat shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a term of imprisonment not to exceed one year and a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars. Any emergency medical technician, paramedic or ambulance driver who transports a person to a general hospital where such person is refused entrance by anyone or is refused examination, diagnosis or treatment by an attending physician thereat shall report all such incidents to the state commissioner of health or his designee, on a form which shall be promulgated by such commissioner. After examination, diagnosis and treatment by an attending physician and where, in the opinion of such physician, the patient has been stabilized sufficiently to permit it, subsequent medical care may be provided or procured by the general hospital at a location other than the general hospital if, in the opinion of the attending physician, it is in the best interest of the patient because the general hospital does not have the proper equipment or personnel at hand to deal with the particular medical emergency or because all appropriate beds are filled and none are likely to become available within a reasonable time after the patient has been stabilized.(c)
Whenever a previously stabilized emergency room patient is thereafter transferred for medical care to another location by means of an ambulance, the attending physician authorizing the transfer in the general hospital from which the patient is transferred shall determine that a receiving hospital is available and willing to receive such patient and that an attending physician thereat is available and willing to admit such patient. Just prior to the transfer, the emergency medical technician or paramedic assigned to accompany the patient in the ambulance shall be provided with a completed form which shall include at least the following information and such additional information as the commissioner may require:(i)
the patient’s name;(ii)
the diagnosed condition of the patient;(iii)
any treatment administered to the patient;(iv)
any medication given to the patient;(v)
the name of the physician ordering the transfer;(vi)
the name of the hospital from which the patient is being transferred;(vii)
the name of the physician or physicians who is or are willing and authorized to receive the patient at the new location;(viii)
the name of the hospital or other facility that is to receive the patient;(ix)
the date and time of transfer; and(x)
the signature of the physician ordering the transfer. The form for this purpose shall be promulgated by the commissioner and distributed to all general hospitals in any such city. The completed form shall be given to the receiving facility upon completion of the ambulance trip for use by the receiving physician. * 3. A general hospital within a city with a population of one million or more may request the emergency medical service of such city’s health and hospitals corporation or any person, firm, organization or corporation providing ambulance service to divert ambulances to another hospital only under the following circumstances: A request for diversion of emergency patients with life threatening conditions shall only be made by a hospital when acceptance of an additional critical patient may endanger the life of that patient or the life of another patient. A request for the diversion of other emergency patients shall only be made when all appropriate beds are filled and shall be withdrawn as soon as a bed is available. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all requests for diversion must be renewed at the beginning of each tour of duty as designated by the emergency medical service of such city’s health and hospitals corporation. Diversion of patients with certain medical conditions which, in the best interest of the patients, require their transport directly to specialty referral centers shall be permitted following the designation of such specialty referral centers. Diversion of patients with psychiatric conditions to comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs, as such term is defined in section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law, and subject to the provisions of section 31.27 of such law, shall only be permitted following the designation of the programs by the commissioners of health and mental health to receive such patients. * NB Effective until July 1, 2027 * 3. A general hospital within a city with a population of one million or more may request the emergency medical service of such city’s health and hospitals corporation or any person, firm, organization or corporation providing ambulance service to divert ambulances to another hospital only under the following circumstances: A request for diversion of emergency patients with life threatening conditions shall only be made by a hospital when acceptance of an additional critical patient may endanger the life of that patient or the life of another patient. A request for the diversion of other emergency patients shall only be made when all appropriate beds are filled and shall be withdrawn as soon as a bed is available. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all requests for diversion must be renewed at the beginning of each tour of duty as designated by the emergency medical service of such city’s health and hospitals corporation. Diversion of patients with certain medical conditions which, in the best interest of the patients, require their transport directly to specialty referral centers shall be permitted following the designation of such specialty referral centers. * NB Effective July 1, 2027 4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny to the attending physician the right to evaluate the medical needs of persons arriving at the hospital for emergency treatment and to delay or deny medical treatment where, in the opinion of the attending physician, no actual medical emergency exists. However, no person actually in need of emergency treatment, as determined by the attending physician, shall be denied such treatment by a general hospital in cities with a population of one million or more for any reason whatsoever.5.
The staff of a general hospital shall:(a)
inquire whether or not the person admitted has served in the United States armed forces. Such information shall be listed on the admissions form;(b)
notify any admittee who is a veteran of the possible availability of services at a hospital operated by the United States veterans health administration, and, upon request by the admittee, such staff shall make arrangements for the individual’s transfer to a United States veterans health administration hospital, provided, however, that transfers shall be authorized only after it has been determined, according to accepted clinical and medical standards, that the patient’s condition has stabilized and transfer can be accomplished safely and without complication; and(c)
provide any admittee who has served in the United States armed forces with a copy of the “Information for Veterans concerning Health Care Options” fact sheet, maintained by the department of veterans’ services pursuant to subdivision twenty-nine of section four of the veterans’ services law prior to discharging or transferring the patient. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for notifying such admittees of possible available services and for arranging a requested transfer.
Source:
Section 2805-B — Admission of patients and emergency treatment of nonadmitted patients, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBH/2805-B (updated May 3, 2024; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).
