Effective 01 Jul 2018, see footnote

197.100. Inspections by department of health and senior services required, reports from certain other agencies accepted, when — department to determine life, safety, and building codes — 1. Any provision of chapter 198 and chapter 338 to the contrary notwithstanding, the department of health and senior services shall have sole authority, and responsibility for inspection and licensure of hospitals in this state including, but not limited to, all parts, services, functions, support functions and activities which contribute directly or indirectly to patient care of any kind whatsoever. The department of health and senior services shall annually inspect each licensed hospital and shall make any other inspections and investigations as it deems necessary for good cause shown. The department of health and senior services shall accept reports of hospital inspections from or on behalf of governmental agencies, the joint commission, and the American Osteopathic Association Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, provided the accreditation inspection was conducted within one year of the date of license renewal. Prior to granting acceptance of any other accrediting organization reports in lieu of the required licensure survey, the accrediting organization's survey process must be deemed appropriate and found to be comparable to the department's licensure survey. It shall be the accrediting organization's responsibility to provide the department any and all information necessary to determine if the accrediting organization's survey process is comparable and fully meets the intent of the licensure regulations. The department of health and senior services shall attempt to schedule inspections and evaluations required by this section so as not to cause a hospital to be subject to more than one inspection in any twelve-month period from the department of health and senior services or any agency or accreditation organization the reports of which are accepted for licensure purposes pursuant to this section, except for good cause shown.

2. Other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the department of health and senior services shall be the only state agency to determine life safety and building codes for hospitals defined or licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, including but not limited to sprinkler systems, smoke detection devices and other fire safety-related matters so long as any new standards shall apply only to new construction.

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(L. 1953 p. 631 § 10, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1134, A.L. 2013 H.B. 351, A.L. 2017 S.B. 50 merged with S.B. 501)

Effective 7-01-18