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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Ken Smith |
  
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House passes Smith's long-term patient safety bill
Elder care legislation awaits state Senate action
HARRISBURG, May 12 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed legislation introduced by state Rep. Ken Smith, D-Lackawanna, that would help to further protect patients in long-term care facilities in Pennsylvania.
"I want to make sure that patients, in the twilight of their lives, have dignity and comfort when they are in long-term care facilities," Smith said.
Smith said current law only requires facilities to report suspected abuse. His bill (H.B. 2109) would also require long-term care facility employees and administrators to report cases of neglect if the neglect results in serious physical injury or is life threatening. These reports would have to be made within 48 hours to local area agencies on aging.
The bill also would require employees and administrators to report neglect cases within 24 hours to the county coroner if they result in a patient's death. The county coroner would set penalties for employees or administrators that fail to report these incidents.
The Lackawanna County lawmaker's measure would include fines of up to $2,500 or one year in prison, or both, for owners or administrators of long-term care facilities in cases where neglect is not reported. Also, employees or administrators that fail to report an incident to authorities would face a summary offense for the first violation and a third-degree misdemeanor charge for second and subsequent violations.
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