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An Act To Require Hospitals To Allow Patients To Provide Their Own Medications
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §1726  is enacted to read:
§ 1726. Patient medication
 
1.  Request to provide own medication.     If a patient of an institution licensed as a hospital under chapter 405, whether admitted to the hospital or in the hospital on observation status, makes a request to provide the patient's own medication, the hospital shall:
 
A.  Provide to the patient a request form on which to make a written request. The patient shall complete the request form and list each of the patient's own medications that the patient requests to provide, including the name and dosage of each medication; and
 
B.  Review the patient's medical condition, records of any medications ordered by the patient's health care practitioners and any medications that the patient listed on the request form under paragraph A and determine whether the patient should continue to take the medication while in the hospital and whether it is safe and appropriate for the patient to provide the medication. If the hospital determines that it is safe and appropriate for the patient to provide the medication, the hospital shall approve the request and provide secure storage for the medication and a procedure by which the patient may have access to the medication for administration as prescribed by the patient's health care practitioner.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides a process by which a patient admitted to a hospital or on observation status in a hospital may request and obtain approval to provide the patient's own medication while in the hospital.