Sec. 9. (a) If a patient or the patient’s health care representative:

(1) designates a lay caregiver; and

Terms Used In Indiana Code 16-21-12-9

  • after care: means assistance provided by a lay caregiver to a patient in the patient's residence under an at home care plan following the patient's discharge from a hospital. See Indiana Code 16-21-12-1
  • at home care plan: means any plan that serves to describe the after care needs of a patient upon discharge from a hospital to the patient's residence, if the at home care plan:

    Indiana Code 16-21-12-2

  • discharge: means a patient's exit or release from a hospital following an inpatient hospitalization. See Indiana Code 16-21-12-3
  • health care representative: means an individual:

    Indiana Code 16-21-12-4

  • lay caregiver: means an individual who:

    Indiana Code 16-21-12-5

  • residence: means a dwelling considered by a patient to be the patient's temporary or permanent home. See Indiana Code 16-21-12-6
(2) provides the written consent and the other information described in section 7(c) of this chapter;

the hospital shall, as soon as practicable before the patient’s discharge from a hospital, attempt to consult with the designated lay caregiver to prepare the lay caregiver for the patient’s after care needs and issue an at home care plan that describes the patient’s after care needs upon discharge from the hospital to the patient’s residence.

     (b) An at home care plan may include contact information for health care, community resources, and long term services and supports necessary to successfully carry out the patient’s at home care plan.

As added by P.L.137-2015, SEC.6.