The bill amends Section 5-37.3-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-37.3, known as the "Confidentiality of Health Care Communications and Information Act," by updating the definitions related to the confidentiality of health care information. One significant change is the amendment of the term "authorized representative" to include any heir-at-law when the patient is deceased and there is no personal representative present. This change is indicated by the deletion of the phrase "his or her heirs-at-law" and the insertion of "any heir-at-law."

The bill also provides a comprehensive list of definitions that are pertinent to the confidentiality of health care communications, including terms such as "confidential healthcare communication," "healthcare provider," "managed-care plan," and "patient," among others. These definitions are crucial for establishing the scope and application of the confidentiality protections. The act is set to take effect upon passage, indicating that the changes will be implemented immediately once the bill is enacted.

Statutes affected:
7646: 5-37.3-3