Pritzker issues executive order waiving certain hospital requirements, allowing alternate care sites

Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order last week removing certain reporting requirements for hospitals and granting them additional flexibilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The order temporarily suspends several requirements of the Hospital Licensing Act, including notice of discharge of aged patients and patients with disabilities on Medicare, patient notice of observation status, reports to the state on opioid overdoses, nurse staffing by patient acuity and closed captioning requirements on all hospital televisions.

The order also allows hospitals to establish a temporary alternate care facility to either provide room and board, nursing, diagnostic or treatment services for COVID-19 patients or for non-COVID-19 patients to increase regional hospital capacity.

The changes are being implemented by emergency rules issued last week by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Illinois Health and Hospital Association spokesman Danny Chun said Monday that many hospitals are working at the local level to locate vacant buildings that may be needed to respond to the pandemic.

He said the association has been advocating for greater flexibilities and they “greatly appreciate” the governor taking action.

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