DAL 16-17 - Reminder of Parents Rights Requirements

September 27, 2016

DHDTC DAL 16-17

Dear Chief Executive Officer:

As you will recall, in 2014 10 NYCRR § 405 was amended to include new regulations pertaining to the care of pediatric patients. Specifically, 405.7 was amended to include 405.7(d): “Each hospital shall be required to post in a conspicuous place and provide a pediatric patient’s parent or other medical decision maker with a copy of a Parents’ Bill of Rights”. A copy of the Parents’ Bill of Rights, along with copies in Spanish, Russian, Creole, Korean, Chinese and Italian can be found on the Department’s website at: http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/patients/patient_rights/

This requirement emphasizes the importance of communicating to families and their children’s primary care providers the findings, diagnoses, recommended medications, and critical lab results that pertain to their children, as well as a suitable discharge plan including information on how to access a health care provider in the event of complications or questions.

We encourage you to continue training all patient care staff to assure their knowledge and understanding of parent’s rights requirements, to post these rights in clearly viewed and conspicuous areas of the hospital, and to provide copies of these rights to patient’s parents or other decision makers as indicated.

Thank you for your continued commitment to ensuring patient and family centered care at your institution.

Sincerely,

Ruth Leslie
Director
Division of Hospitals and Diagnostic & Treatment Centers