SF 2238

1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/20/2012 08:47am

A bill for an act
relating to health; requiring disclosure of certain hospital futility policies;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [144.595] HOSPITAL FUTILITY POLICY.
new text end

new text begin (a) A hospital licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56 that adopts or implements a
futility policy that applies to treatment of any child, from birth to 18 years of age, must
disclose the futility policy to the parents of children treated at the hospital when the
hospital identifies the need for a formal process to address concerns over the proposed
treatment of a child. The hospital must file a copy of the hospital futility policy with the
commissioner of health.
new text end

new text begin (b) For purposes of this section, a "futility policy" is any policy, whether written
or otherwise, that encourages hospital employees, or other medical professionals who
provide care to patients at the hospital, to withhold or discontinue treatment for a patient
on the grounds of medical futility.
new text end