New safety regulations for Massachusetts hospitals will require facilities to install signs, lighting and other accessibility measures so patients in crisis can easily access emergency rooms.
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Hospitals will have until the end of the year to comply with the new regulations, which are the result of a hard-fought campaign for change following the 2016 death of Laura Levin, who had a severe asthma attack outside Somerville Hospital because she couldn’t find the emergency entrance.
Levin's widower Peter DeMarco was the driving force behind the new regulations. He said on Greater Boston that the legislative process for Laura's Law was very long and challenging, but well worth the effort.
"Hospitals have all these regulations, all these nuts and bolts directing them on what changes they need to make, and that's an incredible thing to say," DeMarco said.
Jan Carpman, an architectural sociologist and wayfinding consultant, says many factors can improve emergency department accessibility such as location, signage, parking, lighting, intercom system and more.
"All of those elements would have helped Laura that night," DeMarco said.
Carpman recommended that people plan out hospital access before an emergency happens, and find out whether or not your insurance would cover the cost of an ambulance.
"How you find your way during an emergency is different from any other situation," she said.
Watch: 'Stories don’t change things, people' do: Widow wins new ER access rules prompted by wife's death
