PRINTER'S NO. 1034
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
834
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, MENSCH, STEFANO, SCHWANK, YUDICHAK AND
SABATINA, AUGUST 27, 2021
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AUGUST 27, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of October 24, 2018 (P.L.719, No.112), entitled
"An act providing for notification of patient test results to
be sent directly to a patient or the patient's designee; and
providing for duties of the Department of Health," further
providing for definitions, for test results and for duties of
Department of Health.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definitions of "diagnostic imaging service"
and "significant abnormality" in section 2 of the act of October
24, 2018 (P.L.719, No.112), known as the Patient Test Result
Information Act, are amended and the section is amended by
adding a definition to read:
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Chronic condition." An illness that frequently recurs or
persists for a period in excess of three months.
"Diagnostic imaging service." A medical imaging test
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performed on a patient that is intended to diagnose the presence
or absence of a disease, including, but not limited to, a
malignancy. The term does not include a nonimaging study,
including electrocardiograms, standard EKG treadmill stress
tests, cardiac monitors, pulmonary function tests or similar
tests.
* * *
["Significant abnormality." A finding by a diagnostic
imaging service of an abnormality or anomaly which would cause a
reasonably prudent person to seek additional or follow-up
medical care within three months.]
Section 2. Sections 3(a) and (b) and 4 of the act are
amended to read:
Section 3. Test results.
(a) General rule.--[When, in the judgment of the entity
performing a diagnostic imaging service, a significant
abnormality may exist, the] An entity performing [the] a
diagnostic imaging service shall [directly notify] provide
written notice to the patient or the patient's designee [by
providing notice] that the entity has completed a review of the
test performed on the patient and has sent results to the health
care practitioner who ordered the diagnostic imaging service.
The notice shall include all of the following:
(1) The name of the ordering health care practitioner.
(2) The date the test was performed.
(3) The date the results were sent to the ordering
health care practitioner.
(4) The following statements:
[You are receiving this notice as a result of a
determination by your diagnostic imaging service that
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further discussions of your test results are warranted
and would be beneficial to you.
The complete results of your test or tests have been or
will be sent to the health care practitioner that ordered
the test or tests. It is recommended that you contact
your health care practitioner to discuss your results as
soon as possible.] The complete results of your test or
tests have been sent to the health care practitioner who
ordered the test or tests. If you are not contacted by
the ordering practitioner within 14 days or you are not
able to access your test results on your electronic
health record, it is recommended that you contact your
health care practitioner to discuss your results.
(5) The contact information necessary for the patient to
obtain a full report.
(b) Exceptions.--The following shall be exempted from the
requirements of subsection (a):
(1) Routine obstetrical ultrasounds used to monitor the
development of a fetus.
(2) Diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient
who is being treated on an inpatient basis or in an emergency
[room] department or observation unit of a hospital.
(3) Diagnostic radiographs.
(4) Diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient
with a chronic condition if the patient has previously
received notice of the chronic condition.
(5) Diagnostic imaging services test results provided to
a patient at the time of the test.
* * *
Section 4. Duties of Department of Health.
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(a) Duties.-- The Department of Health shall:
(1) in accordance with law, conduct compliance reviews
on health care facilities licensed by the department as part
of the inspection performed by the department or an
accrediting organization and investigate complaints filed
relating to the requirements of section 3; [and]
(2) establish a complaint procedure, which shall be made
available on the department's publicly accessible Internet
website[.]; and
(3) coordinate with the applicable State licensing
boards on complaints received by the department relating to
entities performing diagnostic imaging services not under the
department's jurisdiction and how the complaints will be
referred to the appropriate State licensing boards for
review.
(b) Regulations.--The department may, by regulation, exempt
other tests from the notice requirements under section 3.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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