California bill requires hospitals notify families of patient deaths

A California Assembly bill aiming to ensure hospitals promptly notify families of patient deaths cleared its first legislative hurdle this week, spurred by an investigation revealing a backlog of unclaimed human remains.

Assembly bill 2598 targets dignity health after kcra 3 exposé

The proposed legislation, authored by Assemblymember Maggy Krell, seeks to close a legal gap allowing hospitals like Dignity Health to delay notifying next of kin for months or years after a patient's death.

According to KCRA 3's investigation, 'Dignity Delayed,' the hospitals left bodies to decompose in cold storage at an off-site morgue without death certificates, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing issues as the cause of the delays.

However, Dignity Health disputes claims they didn't initially attempt to contact families, with the dispute now being argued in civil court through lawsuits filed by families who say they were left in the dark about loved ones' deaths.

Under the proposed bill, hospitals would face daily fines of $200, up to a maximum of $50,000, for each day they fail to make a reasonable attempt to notify family members. The California Hospital Association has proposed some amendments and clarifications but no formal opposition has been registered.

The Assembly Health Committee approved the bill, which is set to be heard by the Assembly Judiciary Committee next.