Senate Passes “No Patient Left Alone Act”

Measure requires healthcare facilities to follow federal visitation guidelines, creates patient visitation rights

Raleigh, N.C. — The North Carolina Senate today passed Senate Bill 191, “The No Patient Left Alone Act,” which builds on last year’s efforts to ensure that healthcare facilities are following federal guidelines and allowing visitors even during a declared disaster or emergency. The Senate passed a previous version of the bill in 2020.

Last year, in the middle of the pandemic, legislators filed the bill in response to heartbreaking stories of loved ones being isolated and left alone in hospitals and nursing homes while undergoing serious medical treatment or facing end-of-life situations. Many spouses and family members were denied compassionate care visits with their hospitalized loved ones, and sadly, many died alone. Senate Bill 191 creates mandatory visitation rights for patients in a variety of healthcare facilities including nursing homes and hospice care facilities and requires those facilities to follow federal guidelines for visitation.

The bill clarifies that adult care homes and special care units could modify visitation rules for a patient if there are infection control issues present, visitation interferes with their care, or the visitors are engaging in disruptive, threatening, or violent conduct.

Facilities found violating visitation rights would be subject to a $500 fine per day for each incident.

While many visitor restrictions are being eased across the state, it’s still vitally important to ensure that in the future no patient is alone during their time of need, even during a pandemic.

Sen. Warren Daniel (R-Burke), who sponsored the bill, said, “We must make sure that no patient in North Carolina is ever left alone in a hospital or nursing home while their spouse or family members are forced to wait at home or in the parking lot while their loved one is receiving care. A video call to a hospitalized patient, many who don’t know how to use a computer, cannot become a substitute for having a family member present during potentially life and death healthcare situations.”

Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir), co-chairman of the Senate Health Committee, said, “The fact that so many families were forced apart during a critical time is heartbreaking. It is imperative to ensure these healthcare facilities are following federal guidelines for visitation and respecting the rights of visitors. While the pandemic’s grip is beginning to loosen, we must prevent this tragedy from happening again in our North Carolina hospitals.”

The bill passed the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 40–9. It now goes to the N.C. House of Representatives for consideration.