Creates a new section in chapter 70.41 RCW that requires hospitals to provide patient advocacy services. Beginning January 1, 2027, hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW must have at least one person physically present each day in the acute care setting who may assist patients in navigating the health care system. This is a new statutory requirement (a procedural requirement for hospitals), not described as a criminal penalty change. Three categories of hospitals are exempt from the daily physical-presence requirement but must by the same date provide patients with access to a patient advocate (which may be by telephone or videoconference), verify those services are active and familiar with Washington health systems, and explain how patients can give the advocate access to necessary information including medical records. The statute lists sample duties patient advocates may perform in acute care hospitals, including helping patients access medical records, scheduling appointments and follow up, collaborating with the health care team to explain conditions and options, and representing patients’ interests in communications with providers, insurers, and hospitals. The text as provided does not define key terms used (for example, “patient advocate” or “acute care setting”), and it does not specify qualifications, training, oversight, enforcement mechanisms, funding, or penalties for noncompliance. The exemption criteria in subsection (2)(c) are referenced but not further explained in the extracted text. Bill ID: S-4526.2 Substitute Senate Bill 5823 (69th Legislature, 2026 Regular Session), Senate Health & Long-Term Care.

If enacted, most hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 would need to have at least one person physically present each day in the acute care area whose job is to help patients navigate care, with a few narrow rural, island, and tribal-location exceptions that instead must provide reliable remote access to an advocate by the same deadline (January 1, 2027). Practically, that will push many hospitals to hire, reassign, or contract for patient advocates and add verification and administrative work for exempt hospitals, creating new staffing and operating costs and changing daily workflows as advocates obtain records, schedule follow-ups, explain options, and communicate with providers and insurers. Patients in acute care are likely to get more consistent assistance with records, appointments, and insurer or provider interactions, which may reduce confusion and delays, while insurers and clinical teams will see more advocate-initiated communications. Important details are missing from the text provided — the bill does not define key terms, set qualifications, explain funding, or describe enforcement — so who pays for the added staff, what training or oversight advocates must have, and how compliance will be measured remain unclear.