S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    24
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BENEDET-
   TO,  GALEF,  GLICK, HOOPER, KOLB, LUPARDO, MONTESANO, SALADINO -- read
   once and referred to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  requiring  the
   commissioner  of  health to develop and implement a system for uniform
   patient safety
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 25
 to read as follows:
   §  25. UNIFORM PATIENT SAFETY. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, IN CONSULTA-
 TION WITH STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTATIVE OF PROVIDERS OF  HOSPI-
 TAL  AND  HEALTH-RELATED  SERVICES,  DEVELOP  AND IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM FOR
 COLOR-CODING STANDARDIZATION OF MEDICAL SAFETY CONDITIONS FOR USE IN ALL
 HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, ON OR AFTER JULY  FIRST,
 TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN, DEVELOP SUCH UNIFORM PATIENT SAFETY CONDITIONS BY
 STANDARDIZING  THE  COLOR-CODING  OF  PATIENT  WRIST BANDS AND PROVIDING
 HOSPITALS, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, RESIDENTIAL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND
 NURSING HOMES IN THIS STATE WITH  A  PATIENT  STANDARDIZATION  WHICH  IS
 UNIFORM  IN  RELATION TO HEALTH-RELATED SERVICES. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
 ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT THE UNIFORMITY OF ALL PATIENT SAFETY THROUGH THE
 PROMULGATION OF RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  AND  FURTHER  PROVIDE  FOR  THE
 SYSTEMATIC  AND  STANDARD  APPLICATION  OF  A COLOR SYSTEM TO AID IN THE
 CLASSIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF SAFETY  CONDITIONS  INCLUDING,  BUT
 NOT  LIMITED TO, A DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDER, ALLERGIES, FALL RISK OF THE
 PATIENT, ELOPEMENT AND CHOKING PRECAUTIONS.
   2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ELOPEMENT" MEANS THAT A  PATIENT
 (A) HAS LEFT THE HOSPITAL, HEALTH CARE FACILITY, RESIDENTIAL HEALTH CARE
 FACILITY  OR  NURSING  HOME,  OR  THE COMPANY OF STAFF, WITHOUT AUTHORI-
 ZATION; OR (B) HAS LEFT THE HOSPITAL, HEALTH CARE FACILITY,  RESIDENTIAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01389-01-7

 A. 24                               2
 
 HEALTH  CARE  FACILITY OR NURSING HOME WITH AUTHORIZATION BUT HAS FAILED
 TO RETURN TO SUCH FACILITY LATER THAN THIRTY MINUTES BEYOND  THE  DESIG-
 NATED TIME.
   §  2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019; provided, however, that
 effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
 or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
 tive date are authorized and directed to be made  and  completed  on  or
 before such effective date.