Senate Bill S3837

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S3837

 TITLE OF BILL :
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to patient
discharge information concerning certain premature newborn infants


 PURPOSE :
This bill would require any hospital that provides birthing services
to provide written, educational material containing information about
the possible complications, proper care and support associated with
newborn infants who are born premature at less than thirty-seven weeks
gestational age.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :
New section 2803-s of the public health law is created requiring
written education information be provided by hospitals that provide
birthing services to those caring for newborn infants who are born
premature at less than thirty-seven weeks gestational age. This
section sets standards for the content of the written material,
including, but not limited to: the unique health issues affecting
infants born premature; the proper care needs of premature infants;
infectious disease awareness and methods to prevent or minimize
infections common to premature infants; and community resources to
assist parents and family member with the care and support of
premature infants. The section also requires that the materials shall
              

be written in clear language to educate parents of premature infants
across a variety of socioeconomic statuses and shall be updated at
least every 2 years.

 EXISTING LAW :
New bill.

 JUSTIFICATION :
The hospital discharge and follow-up care of premature infants needs
to be improved. A great amount of attention is focused on neonatal
intensive care of extremely premature infants, but those infants born
late preterm are often grouped with full-term infants, which places
them at risk in terms of continued follow-up care once discharged from
the hospital. Premature infants, even close to full-term are subjected
to greater health risks and significant differences in clinical
outcomes than full-term infants during birth and after
hospitalization. It is important for parents and caregivers to have
the information on hand after leaving the hospital with their infant
to be educated on risks and care for this vulnerable population.

This bill would help improve the healthcare quality and outcomes for
infants born preterm by improving hospital discharge and follow-up
care of premature infants and reduce re-hospitalization by providing
written material and guidance to caregivers of infants born premature.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
This is a new bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.