The Chamber of Deputies plenary adopted, on Wednesday, a draft law according to which all public and private healthcare units with beds are obliged to install and maintain in working order panic buttons or any other alert system in every room intended for the hospitalization of patients.

The legislative proposal aims to establish the obligation of state and private healthcare units that offer hospitalization services to install and maintain panic buttons in each room intended for hospitalization of patients. It is also proposed to establish the obligation of state and private healthcare units that have intensive care units, emergency reception units or emergency compartments to install and maintain video surveillance systems in operation.

„All public and private healthcare units with beds are required to install and maintain in working order panic buttons or any other alert system in each ward intended for the hospitalization of patients. Panic buttons are installed in a place accessible to patients, allowing the rapid signaling of a medical emergency or a situation of imminent danger to the hospital’s medical and security personnel. Healthcare units are required to ensure periodic training of medical and auxiliary personnel in the use of alert systems, as well as to carry out simulations to test their efficiency,” the draft law states.

According to him, failure to install alert systems, failure to ensure their functioning and failure to organize periodic training constitute contraventions and are sanctioned with a fine of 10,000 to 30,000 RON.

The legislative initiative also provides that: „all public and private healthcare units with beds that have anesthesia and intensive care wards/compartments, wards/compartments of surveillance units and advanced treatment of critical cardiac patients, emergency admission units/emergency compartments, are required to install and maintain video surveillance systems in these areas”.

The video cameras will be placed in such a way as to ensure continuous monitoring of medical activities and patients, without compromising their privacy, in compliance with the legislation on the protection of personal data and patient rights. The video recordings will be stored under high cyber security conditions for a minimum period of 3 days and a maximum of 60 days and can be accessed exclusively by authorized personnel.

„Healthcare facilities are obliged to inform patients and medical staff about the presence of video cameras by displaying visible notices at the entrance to these areas,” the document also reads.

The project was rejected by the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this case.AGERPRES