reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-1 - Condition of admission.

§ 23-17.5-1. Condition of admission.As part of the procedure for admission of a patient to a nursing home, as defined in chapter 17 of this title, a written contract shall be entered into between the patient or the patient's next of kin or legal representative, and the nursing home.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-2 - Care of patient.

§ 23-17.5-2. Care of patient.Each patient shall be treated and cared for with consideration, respect, and dignity, and shall be afforded his or her right to privacy to the extent consistent with providing adequate medical care and with efficient administration.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-3 - Physician.

§ 23-17.5-3. Physician.Each patient shall have the right to choose his or her own physician.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-4 - Rules of nursing homes.

§ 23-17.5-4. Rules of nursing homes.Each patient or his or her representative shall be provided with a copy of this chapter and shall be fully informed, as evidenced by the patient's or his or her representative's written acknowledgment, prior to or at the time of admission or during stay, of all rules and regulations and policies pertaining to the rights of patients, and governing patient conduct and responsibilities. Notice shall be provided immediately to a patient's legal guardian or a person who holds a power of attorney from the patient, or in the event the patient has no legal guardian or agent designated in the power of attorney for health care, then a person designated by the patient to be notified in case of emergencies, if there is an injury to the patient that required the attention of physician.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 316, § 2; P.L. 2001, ch. 392, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-5 - Services and charges.

§ 23-17.5-5. Services and charges.Each patient shall be informed, in writing, prior to or at the time of admission and during his or her stay, of services available and of related charges, including all charges not covered either under federal and/or state programs, by other third-party payers, or by the facility's basic per diem rate.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-6 - Care by physician - Disclosure of patient's medical condition.

§ 23-17.5-6. Care by physician — Disclosure of patient's medical condition.(a) Each patient admitted to a facility shall be and remain under the care of a physician as specified in policies adopted by the governing body.(b) Each patient shall be informed by a physician of his or her medical condition unless medically contraindicated, as documented by a physician in his or her medical record, and shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in the planning of his or her medical treatment.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-7 - Experimentation.

§ 23-17.5-7. Experimentation.If it is proposed that a patient be used in any human experimentation project, the patient shall first be thoroughly informed in writing of the proposal, and shall be offered the right to refuse to participate in the project. A patient who, after being thoroughly informed, wishes to participate, must execute a written statement of informed consent. The informed consent documentation shall be maintained on file in the facility.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-8 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-8 - Grievances.

§ 23-17.5-8. Grievances.Patients shall be encouraged and assisted to voice their grievances through a documented grievance mechanism established by the facility, involving patients, staff, and relatives of patients, which will insure patients' freedom from restraints, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-9 - Abuse.

§ 23-17.5-9. Abuse.(a) Patients shall not be subject to mental and physical abuse, and shall be free from chemical and (except in emergencies) physical restraints except as authorized in writing by a physician for a specified and limited period of time for the protection of the patient.(b) Restraining devices are generally prohibited. A controlling device to be used for the protection of the patient may be utilized only as prescribed in writing and signed by a physician. The length of time, the purpose, and the kind of restraint shall be specified in the physician's order.(c) A training program in the use of restraints shall be required for all personnel providing direct patient care, and completion of the program shall be documented in the employee's personnel record.(d) If physical restraining devices are authorized by a physician in accordance with subsection (b), the patient's next of kin or legal guardian shall be informed in writing of the purpose and duration of restraint. A copy of the communication shall be retained in the medical record for one year.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-10 - Performance of services by patients.

§ 23-17.5-10. Performance of services by patients.A patient shall not be required to perform services for the facility that are not included for therapeutic purposes in the patient's plan of care.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-11 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-11 - Participation in activities.

§ 23-17.5-11. Participation in activities.Patients may meet with and participate in activities of social, religious, and community groups at their discretion unless medically contraindicated per written medical order.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-12 - Visitors.

§ 23-17.5-12. Visitors.(a) Patients may associate and communicate privately with persons of their choice and shall be allowed freedom and privacy in sending and receiving mail.(b) Posted reasonable visiting hours must be maintained in each home, with a minimum of four (4) hours daily.(c) The facility shall permit the long term care ombudsman of the department of elderly affairs, and his or her designees as certified by that department, whose purposes include rendering assistance without charge to nursing home patients, to have access to the facility and its patients, if there is neither commercial purpose nor affect to the access, in order to:(1) Visit, talk with, and make personal, social, and legal services available to all patients.(2) Inform patients of their rights and entitlements, and their corresponding obligations, under federal and state laws by means of distribution of educational materials and discussion in groups and with individual patients.(3) Assist patients in pursuing their legal rights regarding claims for public assistance, medical assistance, and social security benefits, as well as in all matters in which patients are aggrieved.(4) Have access to all areas of the facility accessible to patients except the immediate living area of a patient who objects to the access.(5) Engage in all other methods of assisting, advising, and representing patients so as to extend to them full enjoyment of their rights.(d) Any ombudsman, as certified by the department of elderly affairs, shall have access at any time. Individual patients shall have the complete right to terminate or deny any visit by persons having access pursuant to this section. Communications between a patient and persons having access pursuant to this section shall be confidential, unless the patient authorizes the release of the information. The communication shall be conducted in privacy. The state shall protect and hold harmless the long term care ombudsman, and his or her designees, from financial loss and expense, including legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand or suit for damages resulting from acts or omissions committed in the discharge of his or her duties and within the scope of his or her employment which may constitute negligence, but which acts are not wanton, malicious or grossly negligent, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.(e) No patient shall be punished or harassed by the facility or by its agents or employees because of the patient's effort to avail himself or herself of his or her rights, or because of the activities of others having access pursuant to this section.History of Section.As enacted by P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 1982, ch. 88, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 289, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-13 - Personal services.

§ 23-17.5-13. Personal services.Patients shall have the right to obtain personal services or to purchase personal needs outside of the facility.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-14 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-14 - Right to privacy.

§ 23-17.5-14. Right to privacy.(a) The patient's right to privacy and confidentiality shall extend to all records pertaining to the patient. Release of any records shall be subject to the patient's approval except in case of transfer to another health care facility or as otherwise provided by law.(b) The right to privacy and confidentiality relates to the public dissemination of specific information contained within patient records and to the identification of specific individuals, but does not abrogate the responsibility of the licensing agency to review all patient records.(c) With the permission of a patient or patient's legal guardian, the long-term care ombudsman shall have access to review the patient's medical and social records or, if a patient is unable to consent to the review and has no legal guardian, appropriate access to the patient's medical and social records shall be granted to the long-term care ombudsman.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 255, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-15 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-15 - Financial affairs.

§ 23-17.5-15. Financial affairs.A patient may manage his or her personal financial affairs or shall be given at least quarterly accounting of financial transactions made on his or her behalf, if written delegation of this responsibility was accepted by the facility for a stipulated period of time and in conformance with state laws.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-16 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-16 - Married patient.

§ 23-17.5-16. Married patient.If married, patients shall be assured privacy for visits by the spouse; if both are inpatients in the facility, they may share a room unless medically contraindicated per written order of the physician and subject to the availability of accommodations within the facility.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-17 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-17 - Transfer to another facility.

§ 23-17.5-17. Transfer to another facility.(a) Before transferring a patient to another facility or level of care within a facility, the patient shall be informed of the need for the transfer and of any alternatives to the transfer.(b) A patient shall be transferred or discharged only for medical reasons, or for the patient's welfare or that of other patients or for nonpayment of the patient's stay. A facility seeking to discharge a patient for nonpayment of the patient's stay must, if the patient has been a patient of the facility for thirty (30) days or longer, provide the patient and, if known, a family member or legal representative of the patient, with written notice of the proposed discharge thirty (30) days in advance of the discharge.(c) The patient may file an appeal of the proposed discharge with the state agency designated for hearing such appeals, and if the appeal is received by that agency within ten days after the date of written notice, the patient may remain in the facility until the decision of the hearing officer. For appeals where the patient remains in the facility:(i) Any hearing on the appeal shall be scheduled no later than thirty (30) days after the receipt by the state agency of the request for appeal;(ii) No more than one request for continuance by the patient shall be permitted and, if granted, the hearing on the appeal must be rescheduled for a date and time no later than forty (40) days after the receipt by the state agency of the request for appeal; and(iii) The decision of the hearing officer shall be rendered as soon as possible, but in any event within five (5) days after the date of the hearing.(d) Reasonable advance notice of transfers to healthcare facilities other than hospitals shall be given to ensure orderly transfer or discharge and those actions shall be documented in the medical record.(e) In the event that a facility seeks a variance from the required thirty (30) day notice of closure of the facility, reasonable advance notice of the hearing for the variance shall be given by the facility to the patient, his or her guardian, or relative so appointed or elected to be his or her decision-maker, and an opportunity to be present at the hearing shall be granted to the designated person.(f) In the event of the voluntary closure of a facility, which closure is the result of a variance from the required thirty (30) day notice of closure, granted by the director of the department of health, reasonable advance notice of the closure shall be given by the facility to the patient, his or her guardian, or relative so appointed or elected to be his or her decision-maker.(g) Nothing herein shall be construed to relieve a patient from any obligation to pay for the patient's stay in a facility.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 240, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 5, § 3.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-18 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-18 - Development of responsibilities.

§ 23-17.5-18. Development of responsibilities.All rights and responsibilities specified in §§ 23-17.5-3, 23-17.5-7, 23-17.5-15, and 23-17.5-17 shall devolve, in order of priority, to a patient's guardian, next of kin, sponsoring agency(ies) or representative payor (except when the facility itself is the representative payor) for patients who are:(1) Adjudicated incompetent in accordance with state law; or(2) Found by the physician to be medically incapable of understanding their rights; or(3) Found to exhibit a communication barrier. If, however, the communication barrier is one of speaking a language other than English, then an attempt shall be made to find an interpreter to allow the patient to knowingly exercise his or her rights.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-19 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-19 - Discrimination.

§ 23-17.5-19. Discrimination.Each patient shall be offered treatment without discrimination as to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, source of payment, disability, or diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or related dementia.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 149, § 2; P.L. 1991, ch. 212, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 323, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 50; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 50.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-20 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-20 - Posting of law.

§ 23-17.5-20. Posting of law.Every nursing home licensed pursuant to this title shall display a copy of the provisions of this chapter and related information in a conspicuous place in each nursing home. At a minimum the display must include the following:(1) A summary of the major provisions of chapter 17.5 of this title.(2) The address and telephone number of the division within the health department that will accept complaints or notice of violations of the sections in this chapter, the state ombudsman, and Medicaid fraud unit.(3) Notice of availability and location of public records regarding the results of state and federal licensing and certification surveys of nursing homes.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 265, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 115, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 182, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-21 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-21 - Penalties.

§ 23-17.5-21. Penalties.Any nursing home which refuses or neglects to post provisions or which violates the requirements of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for each violation punishable by a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500) and/or six (6) months in jail.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-22 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-22 - Enforcement.

§ 23-17.5-22. Enforcement.The director of the department of health and/or local or state police within their respective jurisdictions, upon receipt of a complaint from any citizen, are empowered to enforce the provisions of this chapter.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-23 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-23 - Severability.

§ 23-17.5-23. Severability.The provisions of this chapter are severable, and if any of its provisions shall be held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision of the court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions.History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 235, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-24 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-24 - Resident for more than six months - Right to remain after depletion of funds - Penalty for violations.

§ 23-17.5-24. Resident for more than six months — Right to remain after depletion of funds — Penalty for violations.Every patient who has been a resident of a nursing home which participates in the Rhode Island medical assistance program and has made payments from private funds for at least six (6) months shall, upon depletion of the private funds, be permitted to remain as a resident of the nursing home at the rate of payment to be paid by and calculated by the department of human services; provided, that the patient meets the eligibility requirements of § 40-8-3 and that the patient meets the criteria for skilled nursing, ICF I or ICF II level of care, and that the facility provides the level of care that the patient requires and has an available bed at that level of care. Every person or corporation violating the provision of this section would be subject to a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) and/or loss of license.History of Section.P.L. 1982, ch. 361, § 1.
RI Gen L § 23-17.5-25 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 23 - Health and Safety|Chapter 23-17.5 - Rights of Nursing Home Patients|Section 23-17.5-25 - Notice on bed-hold policy and readmission.

§ 23-17.5-25. Notice on bed-hold policy and readmission.(a) Notice before transfer. Before a resident of a nursing facility is transferred for hospitalization or therapeutic leave, a nursing facility must provide written information to the resident and a family member or legal representative concerning:(1) The provisions of the medical assistance program state plan regarding the period (if any) during which the resident will be permitted under the state plan to return and resume residence in the facility; and(2) The policies of the facility regarding the period, which policies must be consistent with subsection (c).(b) Notice upon transfer. At the time of the transfer of a resident to a hospital or for therapeutic leave, a nursing facility must provide written notice to the resident and a family member or legal representative of the duration of any period described in subsection (c).(c) Permitting resident to return. A nursing facility must establish and follow a written policy under which a resident:(1) Who is transferred from the facility for hospitalization or therapeutic leave; and(2) Whose hospitalization or therapeutic leave exceeds a period paid for under the state plan for the holding of a bed in the facility for the resident, will be permitted to be readmitted to the facility immediately upon the first availability of a bed of appropriate level of care in a semi-private room in the facility if at the time of readmission, the resident requires the services provided by the facility.(d) Any nursing facility that accepts private payment for purposes of reserving a bed in the facility for a resident who is transferred from the facility for hospitalization or other institutional therapeutic leave, and that resident's medical and health care is being paid for by the state medical assistance program, shall not charge an amount per day for reserving a bed in the facility that exceeds the facility's current Medicaid daily rate; for a minimum of the first five (5) days of said hospitalization or the institutional therapeutic leave.(e) The departments of human services and health shall receive, on a monthly basis, the names from each nursing home of those persons awaiting readmission under these provisions.(f) The department of health shall promulgate regulations governing these provisions.History of Section.P.L. 1989, ch. 270, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 228, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 303, § 1.