← Back to search

HRS §453-18

Pelvic exams on unconscious patients

Doctors, surgeons, and medical students cannot do a pelvic exam on a female patient who is asleep or unconscious unless she agreed beforehand, the exam is part of the scheduled surgery or test, or the exam is needed to diagnose something while she is unconscious.

domestic partners

The statute, as written — Pelvic examinations on anesthetized or unconscious female patients

A physician, osteopathic physician, surgeon, or student participating in a course of instruction, residency program, or clinical training program shall not perform a pelvic examination on an anesthetized or unconscious female patient unless: (1) The patient gives prior verbal or written informed consent to the pelvic examination; (2) The performance of a pelvic examination is within the scope of care for the surgical procedure or diagnostic examination scheduled to be performed on the patient; or (3) The patient is unconscious and the pelvic examination is required for diagnostic purposes.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.