Careful, documented next-of-kin outreach after a patient’s death.
Next of Kin Notice helps general acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities reach a patient’s family by phone, text and email, keep a timestamped record of every attempt, and prepare the county public administrator notice when no family can be located, in line with AB 2598.
Early access. The service is not yet processing real cases.
What AB 2598 asks of facilities
Assembly Bill 2598 (Chapter 627, Statutes of 2026) was approved by the Governor on September 27, 2026. It adds Section 1280.7 to the Health and Safety Code and Section 7600.4 to the Probate Code, and amends Probate Code Section 7600.5. As a regular (non-urgency) statute it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Who it applies to
The licensee of a general acute care hospital or a skilled nursing facility (as defined in Health and Safety Code §1250(a) and (c)). It also covers a hospital that receives a person’s body after death. Deaths of incarcerated individuals in CDCR custody are excluded; those follow the Penal Code.
Other health facilities and board and care facilities remain under Probate Code §7600.5: immediate notice to the public administrator when a person dies without known next of kin.
The core duty
Make a reasonable attempt to notify any known next of kin that the person died in the hospital or facility (or that the body is being held by the hospital).
“Reasonable attempt” means a documented, good-faith effort by the hospital or facility to contact any known next of kin within 72 hours of a person’s death using any contact information available to the hospital or facility at the time, including, but not limited to, speaking to the next of kin via telephone or leaving a voicemail message and, if available, sending a text message or an email to the next of kin. (Prob. Code §7600.4(d)(3))
Who counts as known next of kin
A relative by blood, marriage, or registered domestic partnership who was identified to the facility by the person or the person’s representative, or identified by information in the person’s belongings.
The duty may also be met if a skilled nursing facility notifies the person’s designated resident representative, or if the person told the facility in writing, before death, that they did not want their known next of kin notified.
When no family can be located
If, after a reasonable attempt, no next of kin can be located (or one of the alternatives above applies), the facility must notify the public administrator of its county within two business days. The notice should include any identifying information available, such as the decedent’s full legal name, Social Security number, driver’s license or other identification, last known address, and contact information for known next of kin.
Penalties and liability
- Failing to make a reasonable attempt to notify known next of kin: a continuing civil penalty of $200 per day, up to $50,000, measured from the time it would take to make a reasonable attempt until the next of kin actually learns of the death (Health & Safety Code §1280.7(a)).
- Failing to notify the county public administrator: a continuing civil penalty of $200 per day, up to $50,000, measured from the fifth business day after the death until the public administrator is notified (§1280.7(b)).
- If the required public administrator notice is not given, the facility is also liable for interment costs and for losses to the estate or beneficiaries that result (Prob. Code §7600.4(b)).
- A licensee may request a hearing within 10 working days of receiving notice of a penalty.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Read the full bill text on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov and confirm your obligations with your counsel.
One calm, consistent process for every case
Staff open a case once. The service handles the outreach schedule and the record-keeping, so your team can focus on the family when they are reached.
Case intake
A staff member records the time of death and any known next of kin, with the contact details on file. Written opt-outs and resident representatives are captured too.
Outreach within 72 hours
Scheduled phone calls with a gentle voicemail, then a text and an email where available. The messages only ask the family to call the facility; details of the death are shared by your staff.
Timestamped audit log
Every call, voicemail, text, email and outcome is recorded with a timestamp, ready to export as a PDF if the department asks how the attempt was made.
Public administrator notice
If no next of kin is located, the county public administrator notice is pre-filled from the case and tracked against the two-business-day window for staff to review and send.
See the sample demo → Sample data only. Nothing is sent.
Early-access pricing, per facility
Simple monthly pricing per licensed facility. Early-access rates are offered to facilities that join before general availability and may change.
Essential
- Case intake for up to 5 known next of kin per case
- Scheduled call, voicemail, text and email attempts
- Timestamped audit log with PDF export
- Pre-filled county public administrator notice
Standard
- Everything in Essential
- Inbound callback line that routes family to your staff
- Two-business-day public administrator deadline tracking
- Monthly compliance summary for leadership
Enterprise
- Everything in Standard
- Multi-facility dashboard and roles
- EHR / ADT event integration (scoped per system)
- Priority onboarding and staff training
Plan features are subject to change before general availability. Production use requires a signed HIPAA Business Associate Agreement. Prices exclude taxes. Early-access pricing is not a binding offer until an order form is signed.
Request early access
Tell us a little about your facility and we’ll follow up about onboarding before January 1, 2027.
Questions: hello@nextofkinnotice.com