Advance Directives

Tennessee’s Health Care Decisions Act regulates advance directives (i.e., DNR, feeding tube) and appointment of a health care agent for a patient. Review our Law Guide topic, Health Care Decisions Act, for a full discussion of this law. Click here to access the Advance Directive Form and Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment Form on the website for the Tn Health Facilities Commission.

Opioids – Employee Notice

Any physician that prescribes, dispenses, or handles opioids must provide notice to employees asking them to report any suspected abuse or diversion of opioids. The notice may be provided in writing to each employee or via a poster in a non-public area. The details of this requirement are specified in our Law Guide topic, Prescription Laws.

Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Reporting

A healthcare professional must report a domestic abuse injury if he/she believes the injury to be life threatening or inflicted by strangulation, knife, gun, pistol, or another deadly weapon. TMA’s Law Guide topic, Wound & Overdose Reporting, provides more detail on this reporting requirement.

Overdose & Wound Reporting

Tennessee law requires health care providers to report certain wounds and injuries to law enforcement. Review the Law Guide topic, Wound and Overdose Reporting, to ensure you comply with this law.