New Hampshire § 332-I-2 - Section 332-I:2 Patient Information.

§ 332-I-2. Section 332-I:2 Patient Information.

I. (a) The patient has the right to courtesy, respect, dignity, responsiveness, and timely attention to his or her needs. (b) The patient has the right to receive information from the health care provider and to discuss the benefits, risks, and costs of appropriate treatment alternatives. (c) The patient shall be fully informed by the health care provider of his or her medical condition, health care needs and diagnostic test results, including the manner by which such results will be provided and the expected time interval between testing and receiving results, unless medically inadvisable and so documented in the medical record. (d) The patient has the right to make decisions regarding the health care that is recommended by the health care provider. Accordingly, patients may accept or refuse any recommended medical treatment and be involved in experimental research upon the patient's written consent only. (e) The health care provider shall not reveal confidential communications or information without the consent of the patient, unless provided for by law or by the need to protect the welfare of the individual or the public interest. (f) Subject to the terms and conditions of the patient's insurance plan, the patient shall have access to any provider in his or her insurance plan network and referral to a provider or facility within such network shall not be unreasonably withheld pursuant to RSA 420-J:8, XIV. (g) When an individual's medical record is maintained in electronic form, the individual has the right to a report, based on whatever audit trail of that record is then maintained, of access to the record by a health care provider named by the individual within an identified period in the prior 3 years. The report shall indicate whether the named provider had access, or did not have access, or whether access could not be determined with the available data. If the named provider had access, the report shall summarize, as the available data permit, the extent of access to the record. This subparagraph shall not apply to individuals being held in correctional facilities within the state. II. Facilities subject to RSA 151:21 and RSA 151:21-b shall be exempt from paragraph I.