BILL ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 513 By: Moncrief Health and Human Services 4-6-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Currently, a hospital must have a signed order from the consumer's physician before admitting the consumer. However, the physician is not always able to be at the hospital at the time of the admission. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 513 prohibits a patient from being accepted for treatment in a mental health facility unless the facility has an order from a physician who has conducted a medical examination within 72 hours of the admission. Authorizes the order to be issued orally, electronically, or in writing signed by the physician. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 572.0025(f), Health and Safety Code, as follows: (f)(1) Prohibits a prospective voluntary patient from being accepted for treatment in a mental health facility unless the facility has a physician's order admitting the prospective patient, which may be issued orally, electronically, or in writing, signed by the physician, provided that, in the case of an oral order or an electronically transmitted unsigned order, a signed original is presented to the mental health facility within 24 hours of the initial order. Requires the order to be from: (A) an admitting physician who has conducted an in-person physical and psychiatric examination within 72 hours of the admission. (B) an admitting physician who has consulted with a physician who has conducted an in-person examination within 72 hours of the admission. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.