(a) Except as provided by § 317.002(d), as soon as possible before a patient’s discharge or transfer to another facility but not later than the time the patient’s attending physician issues a discharge order, a hospital shall notify the designated caregiver of the patient’s discharge or transfer. The inability of the hospital to contact the designated caregiver may not interfere with, delay, or otherwise affect any medical care provided to the patient or the discharge of the patient.
(b) If the hospital is unable to contact the designated caregiver, the hospital shall promptly record in the patient’s medical record that the hospital attempted to contact the designated caregiver.