DESIGNATION OF CAREGIVER

(a) On admission to a hospital or before the patient is discharged or transferred to another facility, the hospital shall provide the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's surrogate decision-maker the opportunity to designate a caregiver. (b) If a patient, a patient's legal guardian, or a patient's surrogate decision-maker designates a caregiver, a hospital shall: (1) document in the patient's medical record: (A) the name, telephone number, and address of the patient's designated caregiver; and (B) the relationship of the designated caregiver to the patient; and (2) request written authorization from the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's surrogate decision-maker to disclose health care information to the patient's designated caregiver. (c) If a patient, a patient's legal guardian, or a patient's surrogate decision-maker declines to designate a caregiver, the hospital shall promptly record in the patient's medical record that the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's surrogate decision-maker did not wish to designate a caregiver. (d) If a patient, a patient's legal guardian, or a patient's surrogate decision-maker declines to give authorization to a hospital to disclose health care information to the designated caregiver, a hospital is not required to comply with Sections 317.003 and 317.004. (e) A patient, a patient's legal guardian, or a patient's surrogate decision-maker may change the patient's designated caregiver at any time, and the hospital must document the change in the patient's medical record. (f) The designation of a person as the patient's caregiver does not obligate the person to serve as the patient's designated caregiver or to provide aftercare to the patient.