This section modifies existing section 7.70.065. Here is the modified chapter for context.
Informed consent for health care for a patient who does not have the capacity to make health care decisions may be obtained from a person authorized to consent on behalf of such patient. For purposes of this section, a person does not have the capacity to make health care decisions if the person lacks the ability to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of a health condition, the proposed treatment, including the anticipated results, benefits, risks, and alternatives to the proposed treatment, including nontreatment, and to reach an informed decision as a result of cognitive impairment. A person is presumed not to have the capacity to make health care decisions if the person is subject to a guardianship that includes health care decision making under RCW 11.130.265.
Persons authorized to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of an adult patient who does not have the capacity to make health care decisions shall be a member of one of the following classes of persons in the following order of priority:
The appointed guardian of the patient, if any;
The individual, if any, to whom the patient has given a durable power of attorney that encompasses the authority to make health care decisions;
The patient's spouse or state registered domestic partner;
Children of the patient who are at least eighteen years of age;
Parents of the patient;
Adult brothers and sisters of the patient;
Adult grandchildren of the patient who are familiar with the patient;
Adult nieces and nephews of the patient who are familiar with the patient;
ix. Adult aunts and uncles of the patient who are familiar with the patient; and
x.(A) An adult who:
(I) Has exhibited special care and concern for the patient;
(II) Is familiar with the patient's personal values;
(III) Is reasonably available to make health care decisions;
(IV) Is not any of the following: A physician to the patient or an employee of the physician; the owner, administrator, or employee of a health care facility, nursing home, or long-term care facility where the patient resides or receives care; or a person who receives compensation to provide care to the patient; and
(V) Provides a declaration under (a)(x)(B) of this subsection.
(B) An adult who meets the requirements of (a)(x)(A) of this subsection shall provide a declaration, which is effective for up to six months from the date of the declaration, signed and dated under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW, that recites facts and circumstances demonstrating that he or she is familiar with the patient and that he or she:
(I) Meets the requirements of (a)(x)(A) of this subsection;
(II) Is a close friend of the patient;
(III) Is willing and able to become involved in the patient's health care;
(IV) Has maintained such regular contact with the patient as to be familiar with the patient's activities, health, personal values, and morals; and
(V) Is not aware of a person in a higher priority class willing and able to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of the patient.
(C) A health care provider may, but is not required to, rely on a declaration provided under (a)(x)(B) of this subsection. The health care provider or health care facility where services are rendered is immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, or from professional or other disciplinary action when such reliance is based on a declaration provided in compliance with (a)(x)(B) of this subsection.
b. If the health care provider seeking informed consent for proposed health care of the patient who **does not have the capacity to make health care decisions, other than a person who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent,** makes reasonable efforts to locate and secure authorization from a competent person in the first or succeeding class and finds no such person available, authorization may be given by any person in the next class in the order of descending priority. However, no person under this section may provide informed consent to health care:
i. If a person of higher priority under this section has refused to give such authorization; or
ii. If there are two or more individuals in the same class and the decision is not unanimous among all available members of that class.
c. Before any person authorized to provide informed consent on behalf of a patient who **does not have the capacity to make health care decisions** exercises that authority, **other than a person who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent,** the person must first determine in good faith that that patient, if **he or she had the capacity to make health care decisions**, would consent to the proposed health care. If such a determination cannot be made, the decision to consent to the proposed health care may be made only after determining that the proposed health care is in the patient's best interests.
d. No rights under Washington's death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW, may be exercised through a person authorized to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of a patient who **does not have the capacity to make health care decisions**.
Informed consent for health care, including mental health care, for a patient who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent, may be obtained from a person authorized to consent on behalf of such a patient.
Persons authorized to provide informed consent to health care, including mental health care, on behalf of a patient who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent, shall be a member of one of the following classes of persons in the following order of priority:
The appointed guardian, or legal custodian authorized pursuant to Title 26 RCW, of the minor patient, if any;
A person authorized by the court to consent to medical care for a child in out-of-home placement pursuant to chapter 13.32A or 13.34 RCW, if any;
Parents of the minor patient;
The individual, if any, to whom the minor's parent has given a signed authorization to make health care decisions for the minor patient; and
A competent adult representing himself or herself to be a relative responsible for the health care of such minor patient or a competent adult who has signed and dated a declaration under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the adult person is a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient. Such declaration shall be effective for up to six months from the date of the declaration.
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(A) Consent is necessary for nonemergency, outpatient, primary care services, including physical examinations, vision examinations and eyeglasses, dental examinations, hearing examinations and hearing aids, immunizations, treatments for illnesses and conditions, and routine follow-up care customarily provided by a health care provider in an outpatient setting, excluding elective surgeries;
(B) The minor patient meets the definition of a "homeless child or youth" under the federal McKinney-Vento homeless education assistance improvements act of 2001, P.L. 107-110, January 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2005; and
(C) The minor patient is not under the supervision or control of a parent, custodian, or legal guardian, and is not in the care and custody of the department of social and health services.
ii. A person authorized to consent to care under this subsection (2)(b) and the person's employing school or school district are not subject to administrative sanctions or civil damages resulting from the consent or nonconsent for care, any care, or payment for any care, rendered pursuant to this section. Nothing in this section prevents a health care facility or a health care provider from seeking reimbursement from other sources for care provided to a minor patient under this subsection (2)(b).
iii. Upon request by a health care facility or a health care provider, a person authorized to consent to care under this subsection (2)(b) must provide to the person rendering care a declaration signed and dated under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the person is a school nurse, school counselor, or homeless student liaison and that the minor patient meets the elements under (b)(i) of this subsection. The declaration must also include written notice of the exemption from liability under (b)(ii) of this subsection.
c. A health care provider may, but is not required to, rely on the representations or declaration of a person claiming to be a relative responsible for the care of the minor patient, under (a)(v) of this subsection, or a person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient under (b) of this subsection, if the health care provider does not have actual notice of the falsity of any of the statements made by the person claiming to be a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient, or person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient.
d. A health care facility or a health care provider may, in its discretion, require documentation of a person's claimed status as being a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient, or a person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient under (b) of this subsection. However, there is no obligation to require such documentation.
e. The health care provider or health care facility where services are rendered shall be immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, or from professional or other disciplinary action when such reliance is based on a declaration signed under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the adult person is a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient under (a)(v) of this subsection, or a person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient under (b) of this subsection.
For the purposes of this section, "health care," "health care provider," and "health care facility" shall be defined as established in RCW 70.02.010.
A person who knowingly provides a false declaration under this section shall be subject to criminal penalties under chapter 9A.72 RCW.
This section modifies existing section 7.70.050. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The following shall be necessary elements of proof that injury resulted from health care in a civil negligence case or arbitration involving the issue of the alleged breach of the duty to secure an informed consent by a patient or his or her representatives against a health care provider:
That the health care provider failed to inform the patient of a material fact or facts relating to the treatment;
That the patient consented to the treatment without being aware of or fully informed of such material fact or facts;
That a reasonably prudent patient under similar circumstances would not have consented to the treatment if informed of such material fact or facts;
That the treatment in question proximately caused injury to the patient.
Under the provisions of this section a fact is defined as or considered to be a material fact, if a reasonably prudent person in the position of the patient or his or her representative would attach significance to it deciding whether or not to submit to the proposed treatment.
Material facts under the provisions of this section which must be established by expert testimony shall be either:
The nature and character of the treatment proposed and administered;
The anticipated results of the treatment proposed and administered;
The recognized possible alternative forms of treatment; or
The recognized serious possible risks, complications, and anticipated benefits involved in the treatment administered and in the recognized possible alternative forms of treatment, including nontreatment.
If a recognized health care emergency exists and the patient does not have the capacity to give an informed consent and/or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of the patient is not readily available, his or her consent to required treatment will be implied.
This section modifies existing section 7.70.060. Here is the modified chapter for context.
If a patient who has capacity to make health care decisions, or his or her representative if he or she does not have the capacity to make health care decisions, signs a consent form which sets forth the following, the signed consent form shall constitute prima facie evidence that the patient gave his or her informed consent to the treatment administered and the patient has the burden of rebutting this by a preponderance of the evidence:
A description, in language the patient could reasonably be expected to understand, of:
The nature and character of the proposed treatment;
The anticipated results of the proposed treatment;
The recognized possible alternative forms of treatment; and
The recognized serious possible risks, complications, and anticipated benefits involved in the treatment and in the recognized possible alternative forms of treatment, including nontreatment;
Or as an alternative, a statement that the patient elects not to be informed of the elements set forth in (a) of this subsection.
If a patient who has capacity to make health care decisions, or his or her representative if he or she does not have the capacity to make health care decisions, signs an acknowledgment of shared decision making as described in this section, such acknowledgment shall constitute prima facie evidence that the patient gave his or her informed consent to the treatment administered and the patient has the burden of rebutting this by clear and convincing evidence. An acknowledgment of shared decision making shall include:
A statement that the patient, or his or her representative, and the health care provider have engaged in shared decision making as an alternative means of meeting the informed consent requirements set forth by laws, accreditation standards, and other mandates;
A brief description of the services that the patient and provider jointly have agreed will be furnished;
A brief description of the patient decision aid or aids that have been used by the patient and provider to address the needs for (i) high‑quality, up‑to‑date information about the condition, including risk and benefits of available options and, if appropriate, a discussion of the limits of scientific knowledge about outcomes; (ii) values clarification to help patients sort out their values and preferences; and (iii) guidance or coaching in deliberation, designed to improve the patient's involvement in the decision process;
A statement that the patient or his or her representative understands: The risk or seriousness of the disease or condition to be prevented or treated; the available treatment alternatives, including nontreatment; and the risks, benefits, and uncertainties of the treatment alternatives, including nontreatment; and
A statement certifying that the patient or his or her representative has had the opportunity to ask the provider questions, and to have any questions answered to the patient's satisfaction, and indicating the patient's intent to receive the identified services.
As used in this section, "shared decision making" means a process in which the physician or other health care practitioner discusses with the patient or his or her representative the information specified in subsection (2) of this section with the use of a patient decision aid and the patient shares with the provider such relevant personal information as might make one treatment or side effect more or less tolerable than others.
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As used in this section, "patient decision aid" means a written, audiovisual, or online tool that provides a balanced presentation of the condition and treatment options, benefits, and harms, including, if appropriate, a discussion of the limits of scientific knowledge about outcomes, for any medical condition or procedure, including abortion as defined in RCW 9.02.170 and:
i.(A) That is certified by one or more national certifying organizations recognized by the medical director of the health care authority; or
(B) That has been evaluated based on the international patient decision aid standards by an organization located in the United States or Canada and has a current overall score satisfactory to the medical director of the health care authority; or
ii. That, if a current evaluation is not available from an organization located in the United States or Canada, the medical director of the health care authority has independently assessed and certified based on the international patient decision aid standards.
b. The health care authority may charge a fee to the certification applicant to defray the costs of the assessment and certification under this subsection.
This section modifies existing section 69.50.317. Here is the modified chapter for context.
Any practitioner who writes the first prescription for an opioid during the course of treatment to any patient must, under professional rules, discuss the following with the patient:
The risks of opioids, including risk of dependence and overdose;
Pain management alternatives to opioids, including nonopioid pharmacological treatments, and nonpharmacological treatments available to the patient, at the discretion of the practitioner and based on the medical condition of the patient; and
A written copy of the warning language provided by the department under RCW 43.70.765.
If the patient is under eighteen years old or does not have the capacity to make health care decisions, the discussion required by subsection (1) of this section must include the patient's parent, guardian, or the person identified in RCW 7.70.065, unless otherwise provided by law.
The practitioner shall document completion of the requirements in subsection (1) of this section in the patient's health care record.
To fulfill the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, a practitioner may designate any individual who holds a credential issued by a disciplining authority under RCW 18.130.040 to conduct the discussion.
Violation of this section constitutes unprofessional conduct under chapter 18.130 RCW.
This section does not apply to:
Opioid prescriptions issued for the treatment of pain associated with terminal cancer or other terminal diseases, or for palliative, hospice, or other end-of-life care of where the practitioner determines the health, well-being, or care of the patient would be compromised by the requirements of this section and documents such basis for the determination in the patient's health care record; or
Administration of an opioid in an inpatient or outpatient treatment setting.
This section does not apply to practitioners licensed under chapter 18.92 RCW.
The department shall review this section by March 31, 2026, and report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on whether this section should be retained, repealed, or amended.
This section modifies existing section 70.02.220. Here is the modified chapter for context.
No person may disclose or be compelled to disclose the identity of any person who has investigated, considered, or requested a test or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease, except as authorized by this section, RCW 70.02.210, or chapter 70.24 RCW.
No person may disclose or be compelled to disclose information and records related to sexually transmitted diseases, except as authorized by this section, RCW 70.02.210, 70.02.205, or chapter 70.24 RCW. A person may disclose information related to sexually transmitted diseases about a patient without the patient's authorization, to the extent a recipient needs to know the information, if the disclosure is to:
The subject of the test or the subject's legal representative for health care decisions in accordance with RCW 7.70.065, with the exception of such a representative of a minor fourteen years of age or over and otherwise with legal capacity to make health care decisions;
The state health officer as defined in RCW 70.24.017, a local public health officer, or the centers for disease control of the United States public health service in accordance with reporting requirements for a diagnosed case of a sexually transmitted disease;
A health facility or health care provider that procures, processes, distributes, or uses: (i) A human body part, tissue, or blood from a deceased person with respect to medical information regarding that person; (ii) semen, including that was provided prior to March 23, 1988, for the purpose of artificial insemination; or (iii) blood specimens;
Any state or local public health officer conducting an investigation pursuant to RCW 70.24.024, so long as the record was obtained by means of court-ordered HIV testing pursuant to RCW 70.24.340 or 70.24.024;
A person allowed access to the record by a court order granted after application showing good cause therefor. In assessing good cause, the court shall weigh the public interest and the need for disclosure against the injury to the patient, to the physician-patient relationship, and to the treatment services. Upon the granting of the order, the court, in determining the extent to which any disclosure of all or any part of the record of any such test is necessary, shall impose appropriate safeguards against unauthorized disclosure. An order authorizing disclosure must: (i) Limit disclosure to those parts of the patient's record deemed essential to fulfill the objective for which the order was granted; (ii) limit disclosure to those persons whose need for information is the basis for the order; and (iii) include any other appropriate measures to keep disclosure to a minimum for the protection of the patient, the physician-patient relationship, and the treatment services;
Persons who, because of their behavioral interaction with the infected individual, have been placed at risk for acquisition of a sexually transmitted disease, as provided in RCW 70.24.022, if the health officer or authorized representative believes that the exposed person was unaware that a risk of disease exposure existed and that the disclosure of the identity of the infected person is necessary;
A law enforcement officer, firefighter, health care provider, health care facility staff person, department of correction's staff person, jail staff person, or other persons as defined by the board of health in rule pursuant to RCW 70.24.340, who has requested a test of a person whose bodily fluids he or she has been substantially exposed to, pursuant to RCW 70.24.340, if a state or local public health officer performs the test;
Claims management personnel employed by or associated with an insurer, health care service contractor, health maintenance organization, self-funded health plan, state administered health care claims payer, or any other payer of health care claims where such disclosure is to be used solely for the prompt and accurate evaluation and payment of medical or related claims. Information released under this subsection must be confidential and may not be released or available to persons who are not involved in handling or determining medical claims payment; and
A department of children, youth, and families worker, a child-placing agency worker, or a guardian ad litem who is responsible for making or reviewing placement or case-planning decisions or recommendations to the court regarding a child, who is less than fourteen years of age, has a sexually transmitted disease, and is in the custody of the department of children, youth, and families or a licensed child-placing agency. This information may also be received by a person responsible for providing residential care for such a child when the department of social and health services, the department of children, youth, and families, or a licensed child-placing agency determines that it is necessary for the provision of child care services.
No person to whom the results of a test for a sexually transmitted disease have been disclosed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section may disclose the test results to another person except as authorized by that subsection.
The release of sexually transmitted disease information regarding an offender or detained person, except as provided in subsection (2)(d) of this section, is governed as follows:
The sexually transmitted disease status of a department of corrections offender who has had a mandatory test conducted pursuant to RCW 70.24.340(1), 70.24.360, or 70.24.370 must be made available by department of corrections health care providers and local public health officers to the department of corrections health care administrator or infection control coordinator of the facility in which the offender is housed. The information made available to the health care administrator or the infection control coordinator under this subsection (4)(a) may be used only for disease prevention or control and for protection of the safety and security of the staff, offenders, and the public. The information may be submitted to transporting officers and receiving facilities, including facilities that are not under the department of corrections' jurisdiction according to the provisions of (d) and (e) of this subsection.
The sexually transmitted disease status of a person detained in a jail who has had a mandatory test conducted pursuant to RCW 70.24.340(1), 70.24.360, or 70.24.370 must be made available by the local public health officer to a jail health care administrator or infection control coordinator. The information made available to a health care administrator under this subsection (4)(b) may be used only for disease prevention or control and for protection of the safety and security of the staff, offenders, detainees, and the public. The information may be submitted to transporting officers and receiving facilities according to the provisions of (d) and (e) of this subsection.
Information regarding the sexually transmitted disease status of an offender or detained person is confidential and may be disclosed by a correctional health care administrator or infection control coordinator or local jail health care administrator or infection control coordinator only as necessary for disease prevention or control and for protection of the safety and security of the staff, offenders, and the public. Unauthorized disclosure of this information to any person may result in disciplinary action, in addition to the penalties prescribed in RCW 70.24.080 or any other penalties as may be prescribed by law.
Notwithstanding the limitations on disclosure contained in (a), (b), and (c) of this subsection, whenever any member of a jail staff or department of corrections staff has been substantially exposed to the bodily fluids of an offender or detained person, then the results of any tests conducted pursuant to RCW 70.24.340(1), 70.24.360, or 70.24.370, must be immediately disclosed to the staff person in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code rules governing employees' occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Disclosure must be accompanied by appropriate counseling for the staff member, including information regarding follow-up testing and treatment. Disclosure must also include notice that subsequent disclosure of the information in violation of this chapter or use of the information to harass or discriminate against the offender or detainee may result in disciplinary action, in addition to the penalties prescribed in RCW 70.24.080, and imposition of other penalties prescribed by law.
The staff member must also be informed whether the offender or detained person had any other communicable disease, as defined in RCW 72.09.251(3), when the staff person was substantially exposed to the offender's or detainee's bodily fluids.
The test results of voluntary and anonymous HIV testing or HIV-related condition, as defined in RCW 70.24.017, may not be disclosed to a staff person except as provided in this section and RCW 70.02.050(1)(d) and 70.24.340. A health care administrator or infection control coordinator may provide the staff member with information about how to obtain the offender's or detainee's test results under this section and RCW 70.02.050(1)(d) and 70.24.340.
The requirements of this section do not apply to the customary methods utilized for the exchange of medical information among health care providers in order to provide health care services to the patient, nor do they apply within health care facilities where there is a need for access to confidential medical information to fulfill professional duties.
Upon request of the victim, disclosure of test results under this section to victims of sexual offenses under chapter 9A.44 RCW must be made if the result is negative or positive. The county prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim of the right to such disclosure. The disclosure must be accompanied by appropriate counseling, including information regarding follow-up testing.
A person, including a health care facility or health care provider, shall disclose the identity of any person who has investigated, considered, or requested a test or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease and information and records related to sexually transmitted diseases to federal, state, or local public health authorities, to the extent the health care provider is required by law to report health care information; when needed to determine compliance with state or federal certification or registration rules or laws; or when needed to protect the public health. Any health care information obtained under this subsection is exempt from public inspection and copying pursuant to chapter 42.56 RCW.