Montana Title 50. Health and Safety § 50-5-702. Lay caregiver--designation

(1)(a) As soon as practicable after a patient's entry and before the patient's discharge or transfer, a hospital shall provide the patient or, if applicable, the patient's legal representative with at least one opportunity to designate at least one lay caregiver.

(b) If the patient is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated upon entry, the hospital shall provide the patient or the patient's legal representative with an opportunity to designate a lay caregiver as soon as practicable after the patient regains consciousness or capacity.

(a) promptly request the written consent of the patient or legal representative to release medical information to the lay caregiver, using the hospital's established procedures for releasing personal health information and in compliance with all state and federal laws governing release of the information; and

(b) appropriately document the designation of the lay caregiver, the relationship of the lay caregiver to the patient, and the name, telephone number, and address of the lay caregiver.