1. In addition to the powers established in sections 197.070 and 197.220, the department of health and senior services shall use the following standards for enforcing hospital, ambulatory surgical center, and abortion facility licensure regulations promulgated to enforce the provisions of sections 197.010 to 197.120, sections 197.150 to 197.165, and sections 197.200 to 197.240:

(1) Upon notification of a deficiency in meeting regulatory standards, the hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or abortion facility shall develop and implement a plan of correction approved by the department which includes, but is not limited to, the specific type of corrective action to be taken and an estimated time to complete such action;

(2) If the plan as implemented does not correct the deficiency, the department may either:

(a) Direct the hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or abortion facility to develop and implement a plan of correction pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection; or

(b) Require the hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or abortion facility to implement a plan of correction developed by the department;

(3) If there is a continuing deficiency after implementation of the plan of correction pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection and the hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or abortion facility has had an opportunity to correct such deficiency, the department may restrict new inpatient admissions or outpatient entrants to the service or services affected by such deficiency;

(4) If there is a continuing deficiency after the department restricts new inpatient admissions or outpatient entrants to the service or services pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection and the hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or abortion facility has had an opportunity to correct such deficiency, the department may suspend operations in all or part of the service or services affected by such deficiency;

(5) If there is a continuing deficiency after suspension of operations pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection, the department may deny, suspend or revoke the hospital’s, ambulatory surgical center’s, or abortion facility’s license pursuant to section 197.070 or section 197.220.

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section to the contrary, if a deficiency in meeting licensure standards presents an immediate and serious threat to the patients’ health and safety, the department may, based on the scope and severity of the deficiency, restrict access to the service or services affected by the deficiency until the hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or abortion facility has developed and implemented an approved plan of correction. Decisions as to whether a deficiency constitutes an immediate and serious threat to the patients’ health and safety shall be made in accordance with guidelines established pursuant to regulation of the department of health and senior services and such decisions shall be approved by the bureau of health facility licensing in the department of health and senior services, or its successor agency, or by a person authorized by the regulations to approve such decisions in the absence of the director.