The Alabama Senate is considering legislation that would require hospitals to publicly report emergency department physician coverage hours.
Senate Bill 297 would mandate quarterly public reports detailing how many hours per week a physician is physically present in each hospital’s ED. The information would be posted online and displayed within the emergency department. The bill also authorizes the Alabama Department of Public Health to suspend or revoke licenses for noncompliance. If enacted, the requirement would take effect July 1.
The proposal replaces Senate Bill 80, which would have required a physician to be present in the ED at all times instead of a registered nurse. That earlier measure faced strong opposition from the Alabama Hospital Association, which cited cost concerns and potential strain on rural hospitals.
Resource: Alabama eyes ED physician staff-level transparency requirement