Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed a bill into law that allows Article 28 diagnostic and treatment centers (D&TC) and outpatient clinics of general hospitals (clinics) to provide off-site services to patients in certain circumstances.
The law amends Public Health Law §2803 to allow house calls when a patient who is in need of services is unable to travel on-site as a result of a temporary or ongoing medical condition. Specifically, the law authorizes a D&TC or clinic to provide primary care services off-site, provided the following criteria are met:
- The primary care services would ordinarily have been provided to patients on-site at a D&TC or clinic;
- The primary care services are not home care services;
- A pre-existing clinical relationship exists between the patient receiving services and the primarily care professional or DT&C/clinic providing off-site services; and
- The patient receiving services is unable to leave his or her residence to receive services at the D&TC or clinic without unreasonable difficulty as a result of circumstances, including but not limited to, clinical impairment.
This law, which takes effect March 28, 2017, will facilitate patient access to primary care services in a residence, nursing home, or other long-term care facility. It will promote continuity of care by requiring a pre-existing clinical relationship to exist between the patient and the primarily care physician or D&TC. It is also expected to curb emergency and/or hospital visits by patients in need of primary care services who would otherwise have been unable to access these services except by ambulance or other emergency transportation.
For more information on this, view the State Senate’s website here.
Lauren Grandinetti
Supervisor
Lauren has been a member of Cerini & Associates’ audit and consulting practice area for over five years where she focuses on serving nonprofit, healthcare, education and contractor clients. Lauren has experience performing assurance work, outsourced accounting work, and government filings. Lauren brings her expertise, diversified background, and helpful approach to all of her engagements.