HARRISBURG – To allow patients to have the support of loved ones, Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) introduced the No Patient Left Alone Act.
The legislation would ensure that all Pennsylvanians facing medical treatment or end-of-life care have the support of family, friends or an advocate.
“The medical community widely acknowledges that emotional support is just as critical as medical treatment. Yet, countless patients have been denied this basic right due to outdated policies, bureaucratic indifference and hospital regulations that fail to recognize the human cost of isolation,” Mastriano said.
Studies show that elderly patients left alone in hospitals experience faster physical and cognitive decline. Patients of all ages who are isolated are more likely to experience severe anxiety, depression and emotional distress.
“Hospitals should be places of healing. However, for far too many, they have become places of loneliness, despair and unnecessary suffering,” Mastriano said.
With passage of the bill, patients would be guaranteed the right to a support person during hospitalization, treatments and end-of-life care. The legislation would prioritize access for intensive care unit patients, the elderly, disabled individuals and those in critical or long-term care.
Hospital and care facilities would be required to implement safe, reasonable visitation policies that balance patient needs with public health protocols.
“For too long, hospitals have placed policies over people, red tape over relationships and rules over basic human decency. The No Patient Left Alone Act is more than legislation; it’s a moral obligation,” Mastriano said.
Florida, Texas and Tennessee have passed similar laws to ensure that no patient is abandoned by their government or health care system.
CONTACT: Don Beishl, 717-787-6701