New York Expands Patient Rights Notification

In late December 2024, the Governor of New York signed A.B. 7184. This legislation mostly makes technical, minor and coordinating amendments regarding health care agents and proxies, decisions under the family health care decisions act, and nonhospital orders not to resuscitate. But it also directs the  commissioner of health shall revise the statement of rights that hospitals are required to post (known as the Patient's Bill of Rights). N.Y. Pub. Health L. 2803(1)(g).  

The new statement must more generally inform patients of their right to receive from the hospital upon admission, and upon request, a more complete statement of their rights with respect to deciding about health care. 

This includes appointing a health care agent, consenting to do-not-resuscitate orders and making other life-sustaining  treatment decisions. The new statement must also state in substance that the hospital will also provide such statement upon  request to any family member or friend of a patient who lacks decision-making capacity.