Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-17-12.9. Resident and family notification

The director shall establish regulations which:  (1) notify the resident, or his or her legal representative, the resident's family representative, the resident's attending physicians of record and the nursing facility's medical director, if that resident has been found to be in immediate jeopardy to health and safety;  (2) notify all facility residents, or their legal representatives, their family representatives, their attending physicians and the nursing facility's medical director, whenever a nursing facility is cited for substandard quality of care as defined in 42 CFR 488.301 or successor regulation;  and (3) provide for notification of changes regarding resident condition as provided in federal regulation 42 CFR 483.10 or successor regulation.  A facility citation for substandard quality of care shall be considered to be a public record ten (10) days following the citation, or upon departmental approval of the corresponding plan of correction, whichever is sooner.

For purposes of this section, “immediate jeopardy to health and safety” means a situation which the institution's noncompliance with one or more state or federal requirements or conditions has caused, or is likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment or death to a resident receiving care in the institution.