Sec. 241.123. REHABILITATION SERVICES STANDARDS

(a) The board by rule shall adopt standards for the provision of rehabilitation services by a hospital to ensure the health and safety of a patient receiving the services.

(b) The standards adopted by the board at a minimum shall require a hospital that provides comprehensive medical rehabilitation:

(1) to have a director of comprehensive medical rehabilitation who is:

(A) a licensed physician;

(B) either board certified or eligible for board certification in a medical specialty related to rehabilitation; and

(C) qualified by training and experience to serve as medical director;

(2) to have medical supervision by a licensed physician for 24 hours each day; and

(3) to provide appropriate therapy to each patient by an interdisciplinary team consisting of licensed physicians, rehabilitation nurses, and therapists as are appropriate for the patient's needs.

(c) An interdisciplinary team for comprehensive medical rehabilitation shall be directed by a licensed physician. An interdisciplinary team for comprehensive medical rehabilitation shall have available to it, at the hospital at which the services are provided or by contract, members of the following professions as necessary to meet the treatment needs of the patient:

(1) physical therapy;

(2) occupational therapy;

(3) speech-language pathology;

(4) therapeutic recreation;

(5) social services and case management;

(6) dietetics;

(7) psychology;

(8) respiratory therapy;

(9) rehabilitative nursing;

(10) certified orthotics; and

(11) certified prosthetics.

(d) A hospital shall prepare for each patient receiving inpatient rehabilitation services a written treatment plan designed for that patient's needs for treatment and care. The board by rule shall specify a time after admission of a patient for inpatient rehabilitation services by which a hospital must evaluate the patient for the patient's initial treatment plan and by which a hospital must provide copies of the plan after evaluation.

(e) A hospital shall prepare for each patient receiving inpatient rehabilitation services a written continuing care plan that addresses the patient's needs for care after discharge, including recommendations for treatment and care and information about the availability of resources for treatment or care. The board by rule shall specify the time before discharge by which the hospital must provide a copy of the continuing care plan. The board's rules may allow a facility to provide the continuing care plan by a specified time after discharge if providing the plan before discharge is impracticable.

(f) A hospital shall provide a copy of a treatment or continuing care plan prepared under this section to the following persons in the person's primary language, if practicable:

(1) the patient;

(2) a person designated by the patient; and

(3) as specified by board rule, family members or other persons with responsibility for or demonstrated participation in the patient's care or treatment.

(g) Rules adopted by the board under this subchapter may not conflict with a federal rule, regulation, or standard.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 707, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.