Section 2979. Rights to be publicized

1. The commissioner of health, after
  consultation  with  the  commissioners  of  mental  health  and   mental
  retardation  and  developmental  disabilities, shall prepare a statement
  summarizing the rights, duties, and requirements  of  this  article  and
  shall require that a copy of such statement:
    (a)  be  furnished  by  the  hospital to patients or to persons on the
  surrogate list known to  the  hospital  at  or  prior  to  the  time  of
  admission  to  the  hospital, and at the time of the first decision made
  pursuant to sections twenty-nine hundred sixty-four, twenty-nine hundred
  sixty-five,  twenty-nine  hundred  sixty-six,  or  twenty-nine   hundred
  sixty-seven  of this article or as soon thereafter as practicable and to
  each member of the hospital's staff involved in the provision of medical
  care; and
    (b) is posted in a public place in each hospital.
    2. The statement of rights required by this section may be included in
  any other statement of patient's rights required by other provisions  of
  this chapter.