Section 19-319.2 - Policies and procedures regarding patients' rights. - Maryland Statutes

§ 19-319.2. Policies and procedures regarding patients' rights.
 

(a)  "Facility" defined.- In this section, "facility" means a special psychiatric hospital or an acute general care hospital with separately identified inpatient psychiatric service. 

(b)  Adoption; compliance; inspections; penalties.-  

(1) As a condition of licensure, each facility shall adopt written policies and procedures to implement the requirements of §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article. The policies and procedures: 

(i) May expand the rights provided in §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article; 

(ii) Shall provide for a mechanism for patients and others to report suspected violations of §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article to a designated official of the hospital; 

(iii) Shall provide a system for investigating suspected violations; and 

(iv) Shall ensure that there is a timely appropriate response to any suspected violation. 

(2) The Secretary may inspect any document necessary to ensure compliance with this subsection and §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article. 

(3) If a hospital that is a facility fails to adopt and implement the policies and procedures required by this subsection or maintains a continuing pattern of conditions or practices in knowing violation of §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article, the Secretary may impose the following penalties, but only after the Secretary has satisfied the conditions in § 19-360 of this subtitle: 

(i) Delicensure of the specialty psychiatric hospital; 

(ii) Delicensure of the separately identified psychiatric service of the acute general care hospital; or 

(iii) A fine not to exceed $500 per day for each day the violation continues. 
 

[1991, ch. 500; 1992, ch. 22, § 1.]