NOTICES

Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Services Regulation

[39 Pa.B. 3225]
[Saturday, June 27, 2009]

   On January 26, 2008, the Department of Health (Department) published a Notice of Final Rulemaking in the Pennsylvania Bulletin for the Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Services Regulation. See 38 Pa.B. 573 (January 26, 2008). The Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Services Regulation became effective on January 26, 2008, and amended the Department's regulations at 28 Pa. Code Part IV, Subpart B (relating to general and special hospitals), to add specific requirements for hospitals relating to the provision of sexual assault emergency services. See 28 Pa. Code §§ 117.51--117.58 (relating to sexual assault victim emergency services).

   Hospitals that decide they may not provide emergency contraception due to a stated religious or moral belief contrary to providing such medication are required to give notice to the Department of the decision. See 28 Pa. Code § 177.57 (relating to religious or moral exemptions). Hospitals that refer all emergency patients to other hospitals after institution of essential life-saving measures and decide not to provide any sexual assault emergency services are required to give notice to the Department of the decision. See 28 Pa. Code § 117.58 (relating to exemption for hospitals providing limited emergency services).

   Sections 117.57(1)(ii) and 117.58(1)(ii) of 28 Pa. Code that the Department will annually publish the lists of hospitals in the Pennsylvania Bulletin that have chosen not to provide emergency contraception under 28 Pa. Code § 117.57 or any sexual assault emergency services under 28 Pa. Code § 117.58. The following lists are published in accordance with those provisions and do not create any new obligations for hospitals or relieve hospitals of any existing obligations.

Hospitals That May Not Provide Emergency Contraception

   Under 28 Pa. Code § 117.57(1)(ii), the Department publishes the following list of hospitals that have provided notice to the Department that the hospital may not provide emergency contraception due to a stated religious or moral belief:

Hospital Name	City, Zip Code
Altoona Regional Health    System (Bon Secours    Campus)	Altoona, 16601
Jersey Shore Hospital	Jersey Shore, 17740
Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital	Darby, 19023
Mercy Hospital Scranton	Scranton, 18501
Mercy Jeannette	Jeannette, 15644
Mercy Philadelphia Hospital	Philadelphia, 19143
Mercy Suburban Hospital	Norristown, 19401
Nazareth Hospital	Philadelphia, 19152
Muncy Valley Hospital	Muncy, 17756
St. Mary Medical Center	Langhorne, 19047
UPMC Mercy Hospital	Pittsburgh, 15219
Williamsport Hospital	Williamsport, 17701

Hospitals That May Not Provide Any Sexual Assault Emergency Services

   Under 28 Pa. Code § 117.58(1)(ii), the Department publishes the following list of hospitals that have provided notice to the Department that the hospital may not provide any sexual assault emergency services due to the limited services provided by the hospital:

Hospital Name	City, Zip Code
Allied Services Institute of    Rehabilitation--Scranton	Scranton, 18501
John Heinz Institute of    Rehabilitation Medicine--    Wilkes-Barre	Wilkes-Barre    Township, 18702
Shamokin Area Community    Hospital	Coal Township,    17866-9697
St. Agnes Long-Term Acute    Care Hospital	Philadelphia, 19145

   Additional information regarding the Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Services Regulation and emergency contraception, and an up-to-date list of hospitals not providing emergency contraception under 28 Pa. Code § 117.57 or not providing any sexual assault emergency services under 28 Pa. Code § 117.58, is available on the Department's web site, www.health.state.pa.us. Persons with a disability who require an alternative format of this notice (for example, large print, audiotape, Braille) should contact Joanne Salsgiver, Acting Director of the Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care, Room 532, Health and Welfare Building, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0701, (717) 783-8980, fax (717) 772-2163 or for speech and/or hearing impaired persons V/TT (717) 783-6514 or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984.

   The publishing in the Pennsylvania Bulletin or on the Department's web site of the lists of hospitals not providing emergency contraception under 28 Pa. Code § 117.57, or not providing any sexual assault emergency services under 28 Pa. Code § 117.58, shall not be deemed an acknowledgement or confirmation by the Department that the hospitals are in compliance with the requirements of the regulations.

EVERETTE JAMES,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 09-1160. Filed for public inspection June 26, 2009, 9:00 a.m.]

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