What's happening
This bill requires hospitals to provide written educational materials about complications and care for premature infants born before 37 weeks.
Why it matters
Improves parental understanding. By requiring hospitals to provide detailed written materials, the bill aims to ensure that parents of premature infants are informed about specific health risks, care requirements, and developmental challenges, potentially leading to better outcomes for these vulnerable newborns.
Promotes early intervention. The inclusion of information on developmental screenings and healthcare services may encourage parents to seek timely assessments and support, which can be crucial for addressing delays or complications early.
Addresses health disparities. By mandating that materials be written in clear language and accessible to families across socioeconomic backgrounds, the bill seeks to reduce gaps in health literacy and support equitable care for all premature infants.
Connects families to community resources. The requirement to include information about community support services helps families navigate the challenges of caring for a premature infant, potentially reducing feelings of isolation and improving access to assistance.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Premature Infant Info for Parents
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Educate Parents on Preemies
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7020
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2020
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to patient discharge information concerning certain premature newborn infants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2803-w to read as follows:
§ 2803-w. Patient discharge information. 1. Any hospital that provides birthing services shall provide written, educational material containing information about the possible complications, proper care and support associated with newborn infants who are born premature at less than thirty-seven weeks gestational age. The written information shall include but not be limited to, the following:
(a) The unique health issues affecting infants born premature, such as: increased risk of developmental problems; nutritional challenges; infection; chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia); vision and hearing impairment; breathing problems; feeding; maintaining body temperature; jaundice; hyperactivity; infant mortality and long-term complications associated with fine motor skills, reading, writing, mathematics and speaking;
(b) The proper care needs of premature infants, developmental screenings and monitoring and healthcare services available to premature infants;
(c) infectious disease awareness and methods to prevent or minimize infections common to premature infants; and
(d) Community resources to assist parents and family members with the care and support of premature infants.
2. Such materials shall be written in clear language to educate parents of premature infants across a variety of socioeconomic statuses and shall be updated at least every two years.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00418-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to patient discharge information concerning certain premature newborn infants
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would require any hospital that provides birthing services to provide written, educational material containing information about the possible complications, proper care and support associated with newborn infants who are born premature at less than thirty-seven weeks gesta- tional age.
Summary of specific provisions
New section 2803-v of the public health law is created requiring written education information be provided by hospitals that provide birthing services to those caring for newborn infants who are born premature at less than thirty-seven weeks gestational age. This section sets stand- ards for the content of the written material, including, but not limited to: the unique health issues affecting infants born premature; the prop- er care needs of premature infants; infectious disease awareness and methods to prevent or minimize infections common to premature infants; and community resources to assist parents and family members with the care and support of premature infants. The section also requires that the materials shall be written in clear language to educate parents of premature infants across a variety of socioeconomic statuses and shall be updated at least every 2 years.
Justification
The hospital discharge and follow-up care of premature infants needs to be improved. A great amount of attention is focused on neonatal inten- sive care of extremely premature infants, but those infants born late preterm are often grouped with full-term infants, which places them at risk in terms of continued follow-up care once discharged from the hospital. Premature infants, even close to full-term are subjected to greater health risks and significant differences in clinical outcomes than full-term infants during birth and after hospitalization. It is important for parents and caregivers to have the information on hand after leaving the hospital with their infant to be educated on risks and care for this vulnerable population. This bill would help improve the healthcare quality and outcomes for infants born preterm by improving hospital discharge and follow-up care of premature infants and reduce re-hospitalization by providing written material and guidance to care- givers of infants born premature.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: A399 referred to Health
2015-16: A1851 referred to Health
2013-14: A2266 referred to Health
2011-12: A2023 referred to Health 2009-10: A4715 referred to Health/S3837 referred to Health
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.