Oklahoma House passes Lori Brand Patient Bill of Rights Act

A patient’s bill of rights passed in the state House on Tuesday. The bill, named after Lori Brand, who died alone in the hospital during COVID-19, aims to protect patients' rights in healthcare settings.

Lori Brand had a rare autoimmune disease and, in 2020, was admitted to the hospital, where she later died without her family by her side due to visitation restrictions. Her husband, Gerald, has been a passionate advocate for patient rights ever since.

Q: What is House Bill 1600?

House Bill 1600, also known as the Lori Brand Patient Bill of Rights Act of 2025, would establish a comprehensive set of rights and responsibilities for patients, ensuring they receive respectful and informed medical care while also protecting the needs of minor patients and their families. The bill would also include special provisions for minors, ensuring they receive appropriate care in a child-friendly environment and have the opportunity to be involved in medical decisions.

Q: What did Gerald Brand say about his wife’s situation?

A: Gerald shared that Lori, suffering from a serious condition, needed someone at the hospital to advocate for her and provide comfort.

“She would get disoriented, kind of, and not really understand, you know, kind of what was going on. She needed someone there to advocate for her and to ask questions,” Brand said.

Q: What was the impact of the hospital's visitor restrictions on Lori and her family?

A: Gerald said that the hospital’s no-visitor policy meant that his family couldn’t be with Lori during her last 3 days of life.

“I don’t know if she thought we abandoned her and just left her and not knowing what went on. You can ask questions, and they just never really answer any other questions,” Brand said.

Q: How does the bill aim to address these issues?

A: The bill, written by Representative Emily Gise, passed in the House with overwhelming support—84 votes in favor and 10 against. It establishes patient rights to ensure they are treated with dignity, informed about their care, and given a voice in their medical decisions.

Gise said in a statement:

“This legislation is going to do a lot of good for Oklahoma families. Patients deserve to know their rights, be treated with dignity, and have a voice in their own medical care. This bill makes that clear and would ensure our healthcare system works for everyone, from children to seniors.”

Q: How did Gerald Brand feel about the potential impact of the bill?

A: Gerald became emotional when talking about the positive impact this bill could have on other families in Oklahoma, ensuring that no one else would experience the pain his family endured.

“It would make me feel like I was doing good for the rest of Oklahomans, that no one would experience the same thing that I went through and my family went through,” Brand said.

The bill outlines patients’ rights and responsibilities to ensure they receive respectful and informed care. It has now passed in the House and moves on to the Senate for further consideration.

News On 6 reached out to the Oklahoma Hospital Association, which stated they are neutral about the bill. We will continue to follow this story.