Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to reduce patient abuse in health care facilities by authorizing the use of electronic monitoring in certain patient rooms. It focuses on protecting vulnerable patient groups from potential abusive acts.

Main Provisions

• Electronic Monitoring Authorization: Patients who are admitted to certain health care facilities for more than 24 hours are permitted to monitor their rooms with electronic devices.
• Vulnerable Patient Groups: This includes elderly patients, young patients, neurodivergent patients, those with physical or mental disabilities, pediatric patients, and patients with impaired cognition.
• Facility Types Included: The bill applies to hospitals, residential hospice facilities, and birth centers that are licensed by the state.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces new provisions in Minnesota Statutes chapter 144, specifically allowing for electronic monitoring in patient rooms within specific health care facilities.
• It extends the previously defined uses of electronic monitoring devices (outlined in section 144.6502) to now explicitly cover these settings, thereby broadening patients' monitoring rights.

Relevant Terms

electronic monitoring, patient abuse, vulnerable patients, health care facilities, hospitals, residential hospice, birth centers