Health Care Screening Act

In Pennsylvania the Domestic Violence Universal Screening Act states the new responsibilities of health care practitioners.  

The Act states:

• Health care practitioners shall establish and utilize written policies and procedures for universal screening within the practices of their profession for every patient provided care by the practitioner, including patients receiving routine services and examinations.
• Physician assistants, practical nurses and registered nurses practicing under the supervision of a medical or osteopathic physician, dentist, optometrist or psychologist shall follow the universal screening policies and procedures established by the supervising practitioner.
• A health care facility shall establish and implement written universal screening policies and procedures to screen patients routinely for    purposes of detecting spousal or partner abuse. These policies and procedures shall be utilized by health care practitioners practicing within the facility for all patients receiving services in the facility.

The term Health Care Facility includes, but is not limited to:

• Ambulatory surgical facilities
• Drug and alcohol treatment facilities
• General hospitals
• Special hospitals, including: psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals 

In some states law suits are beginning to happen within the medical community for failure to diagnosis, document, treat, provide option information to patients and for failure to make referrals to specialists (domestic violence experts).

For further training  & information on legal liability and the malpractice act contact the Medical Advocate in your area or the National Resource Center: 1-800-537-2238.

There is an invisible door at your health care practice, you can see it your patients can't. By showing the door, your patients chose when to open that door.