Several Massachusetts laws, including the recently enacted Patients’ Bill of Rights, protect the rights of nursing home patients. Although these laws address many of the problems that such patients face, they do not adequately meet all of the unique needs of this vulnerable group. This Comment discusses safeguards afforded by current Massachusetts law that are particularly important for nursing home patients, and recommends improvements that would secure more adequate protection for their rights. The Comment also analyzes some of Massachusetts law’s shortcomings in implementation and enforcement, in forum selection and in limitations on standing, and suggests improvements in these areas. Finally, the Comment proposes the enactment of a comprehensive Bill of Rights for Nursing Home Patients in order to address their unique needs more adequately, and to eliminate the duplicative, vague, and confusing provisions contained in current law.

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立法评论：马萨诸塞州疗养院患者的权利：当前的保护和改进建议

马萨诸塞州的几项法律，包括最近颁布的患者权利法案，保护疗养院患者的权利。尽管这些法律解决了此类患者面临的许多问题，但它们并不能充分满足这一弱势群体的所有独特需求。本评论讨论了马萨诸塞州现行法律提供的对疗养院患者特别重要的保障措施，并建议进行改进以确保更充分地保护他们的权利。该评论还分析了马萨诸塞州法律在实施和执行、法庭选择和诉讼资格限制方面的一些缺陷，并建议在这些领域进行改进。最后，评论建议制定一项全面的疗养院患者权利法案，以更充分地满足他们的独特需求，