Sec. 166.053. REGISTRY TO ASSIST TRANSFERS

(a) The Texas Health Care Information Council shall maintain a registry listing the identity of and contact information for health care providers and referral groups, situated inside and outside this state, that have voluntarily notified the council they may consider accepting or may assist in locating a provider willing to accept transfer of a patient under Section 166.045 or 166.046.

(b) The listing of a provider or referral group in the registry described in this section does not obligate the provider or group to accept transfer of or provide services to any particular patient.

(c) The Texas Health Care Information Council shall post the current registry list on its website in a form appropriate for easy comprehension by patients and persons responsible for the health care decisions of patients and shall provide a clearly identifiable link from its home page to the registry page. The list shall separately indicate those providers and groups that have indicated their interest in assisting the transfer of:

(1) those patients on whose behalf life-sustaining treatment is being sought;

(2) those patients on whose behalf the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment is being sought; and

(3) patients described in both Subdivisions (1) and (2).

(d) The registry list described in this section shall include the following disclaimer:

"This registry lists providers and groups that have indicated to the Texas Health Care Information Council their interest in assisting the transfer of patients in the circumstances described, and is provided for information purposes only. Neither the Texas Health Care Information Council nor the State of Texas endorses or assumes any responsibility for any representation, claim, or act of the listed providers or groups."

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1228, Sec. 5, eff. June 20, 2003.