WAC 246-320-286   Emergency contraception.  The purpose of this section is to ensure that all hospitals with emergency rooms provide emergency contraception as a treatment option to any woman who seeks treatment as a result of a sexual assault.

     Every hospital that provides emergency care must:

     (1) Develop and implement policies and procedures regarding the provision of twenty-four-hour/seven-days per week emergency care to victims of sexual assault;

     (2) Provide the victim of sexual assault with medically and factually accurate and unbiased written and oral information about emergency contraception;

     (3) Orally inform each victim in a language she understands of her option to be provided emergency contraception at the hospital; and

     (4) Immediately provide emergency contraception, as defined in WAC 246-320-010, to each victim of sexual assault if the victim requests it, and if the emergency contraception is not medically contraindicated.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.41 RCW and RCW 43.70.040. 09-07-050, § 246-320-286, filed 3/11/09, effective 4/11/09.]