Sec. 19a-555. (Formerly Sec. 19-626). Chronic and convalescent nursing homes. Medical director. Personal physicians.

(a) There shall be a medical director for each chronic and convalescent nursing home. The medical director shall be a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the state pursuant to section 20-13. The medical director, in conjunction with the medical staff, shall develop and put into effect medical care procedures and medical practice policies. Such procedures and policies shall specify the duties and responsibilities of any physician utilizing the facilities of the nursing home for the care of patients.

(b) The medical director shall be responsible for the quality of medical and nursing care delivered in the chronic and convalescent nursing home.

(c) Each patient in a chronic and convalescent nursing home shall have a personal physician while residing there. If the patient fails to express a preference for a personal physician, or for any reason the physician so selected fails or refuses to serve, the medical director shall assign, subject to the approval of the patient, a personal physician for such patient, which physician may be himself. The medical director shall call in the patient's personal physician in those instances when the clinical course of the patient indicates that medical attention is required. The personal physician of the patient shall determine the seriousness of the illness and assume responsibility for the validity of any diagnosis or treatment.

(d) The medical director and personal physician of the patient shall be responsible for making such special provisions as may be necessary for the medical and psychiatric care of patients with mental disorders, to insure the safety and well being of such patients and of persons in contact with them.

(P.A. 76-331, S. 10, 16; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 89-350, S. 18.)

History: P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-626 transferred to Sec. 19a-555 in 1983; P.A. 89-350 removed requirement that the policies and procedures be filed with the department of health services.