Florida Administrative Code § 59A-3.254

“Patient rights and care under the Agency for Health Care Administration regulations”  

Hospitals must develop policies and procedures on discharge planning which address:

• Identification of patients requiring discharge planning;

• Initiation of discharge planning on a timely basis; 
• The role of the physician, other health care providers, the patient, and the patient’s family in the discharge planning process; and
• Documentation of the discharge plan in the patient’s medical record including an assessment of the availability of appropriate services to meet identified needs following hospitalization.

Hospitals must develop a systemic approach to educating the patient and family to improve patient outcomes.

Hospitals must develop policies and procedures to ensure the following rights of the patient:

• The right to refuse treatment and life-prolonging procedures;
• The right to formulate advance directives and designate a surrogate to make health care decisions on behalf of the patient;
• The right to information about patient rights;
• The right to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in the care of the patient;
• The right to privacy and confidentiality of information including access to information contained in the patient’s medical records;
• The right of the patient’s next of kin or designated representative to exercise rights on behalf of the patient;
• The right to an itemized patient bill upon request; and
• The right to be free of restraints consistent with the rights of mentally ill persons or patients.

Related laws:

Florida Statutes § 395.003

Florida Statutes § 395.1055