N.Y. Public Health Law § 4710: Shared health facilities; quality of care requirements

§ 4710. Shared health facilities; quality of care requirements. 1. To

ensure quality, continuity and proper coordination of medical care, each

shared health facility shall:

(a) designate an individual who shall coordinate and manage the

facility's activities. The person so designated shall be responsible for

compliance with the provisions of this article;

(b) devise an appropriate means of insuring that (i) patients will be

scheduled to return for appropriate follow-up care and (ii) will be

treated by a practitioner familiar with the patient's medical history;

(c) post conspicuously the names and scheduled office hours of all

practitioners practicing in the facility;

(d) maintain proper records which shall contain at least the following

information:

(i) the full name, address and program number of each patient;

(ii) the dates of all visits to all providers in the shared health

facility;

(iii) the chief complaint for each visit to each provider in the

shared health facility;

(iv) pertinent history and all physical examinations rendered by each

provider in the shared health facility;

(v) diagnostic impressions for each visit to any provider in the

shared health facility;

(vi) all medications prescribed by any provider in the shared health

facility;

(vii) the precise dosage and prescription regimens for each medication

prescribed by a provider in the shared health facility;

(viii) all x-ray, laboratory work and electrocardiograms ordered at

each visit by any provider in the shared health facility, and their

results;

(ix) all referrals by providers in the shared health facility to other

medical practitioners and the reason for such referrals; and

(x) a statement as to whether or not the patient is expected to return

for further treatment and the dates of all return appointments;

(e) assign an individual and clearly identified practitioner to all

patients. This assignment may be changed at any time at the patient's

discretion;

(f) make available to registered patients either:

(i) the central answering service telephone number of each patient's

designated practitioner or such practitioner's personally designated

colleagues, or

(ii) a centralized twenty-four-hour-a-day, seven-day-weekly telephone

line for off-hour emergency patient questions;

(g) maintain a central day-book registry which shall record:

(i) the name and program number of all patients entering the facility;

and

(ii) the chief complaint and the names of all providers whose services

were requested by the patient and/or to whom such patient was referred;

and

(h) insure that the physical facilities of each shared health facility

shall provide for maximum privacy for all patients during examination,

interview and treatment;

(i) post conspicuously the telephone number of the agency within the

department of health which is responsible for providing information

concerning shared health facilities and/or for receiving complaints

concerning the provision of health care services at shared health

facilities.

2. It shall be the responsibility of each facility's administrator to

ensure that patient records and summaries of all patient visits

including diagnosis and pharmaceuticals prescribed are at all times

available at either the facility or at a place immediately accessible to

all health providers at the facility.

3. Nothing in this article shall in any way be interpreted as

infringing upon the patient's right to free selection of a personal

practitioner.

4. The department shall have the right to inspect the business

records, patient records, leases and other contracts executed by any

provider in a shared health facility. Such inspections may be by site

visits to the facility.