HOSPITAL LICENSING-VACCINATION

From the Legislature

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. In provisions concerning required influenza and pneumococcal immunization policies required to be adopted by every hospital, requires the adoption of procedures for identifying patients eligible for influenza and pneumococcal immunization (rather than patients age 50 or older for influenza immunization and 65 or older for pneumococcal immunization and, at the discretion of the facility, other patients at risk). Requires the adoption of procedures for offering immunization against influenza virus when available between September 1 and April 1 of the subsequent year, or as indicated by the Department of Public Health if the flu season varies significantly from those dates (rather than only between September 1 and April 1), and against pneumococcal disease upon admission or discharge, to patients in accordance with the recommendations of the State Guidelines for Communicable Disease Prevention issued by the Director of Public Health pursuant to the Communicably Disease Prevention Act or the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (rather than only the Advisory Committee) that are most recent to the time of vaccination, unless contraindicated. Provides that, if the State Guidelines for Communicable Disease Prevention and the guidance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are in conflict, the Guidelines shall control where the applicable guidance from the Advisory Committee significantly deviates from evidence-based immunization practices.