(a) The commission is authorized to employ all necessary administrative and clerical employees; and to employ one (1) or more inspectors, for such time as, in the judgment of the executive director, may be necessary, who shall be well experienced in the operation of hospitals, and whose duty it is to:
Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
Executive director: means the executive director of the health facilities commission. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
Facility: means any institution, place or building providing health care services that is required to be licensed under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
Nursing home: means any institution, place, building or agency represented and held out to the general public for the express or implied purpose of providing care for one (1) or more nonrelated persons who are not acutely ill, but who do require skilled nursing care and related medical services. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
(1) Visit all institutions coming under the scope of this part and inspect them, insofar as it may be necessary to arrive at the necessary facts required to make a true and informative report to the commission; and(2) Give advice, aid and encouragement to such institutions, in maintaining high professional ideals and good care of patients.(b) The commission shall cooperate in the inspections and coordinate them with its other work.(c)(1) The commission shall not assign an individual to be a member of an inspection team for purposes of conducting an annual survey required for medicare or medicaid certification at a nursing homefacility in which the individual works, or, at any previous time, has worked as an employee, as employment agency staff at the facility, or as an officer, consultant, or agent for the facility to be inspected. Prior to being employed by the commission, all such individuals shall be required to disclose any previous employment at any and all nursing home facilities, including employment as an employee, as employment agency staff, or as an officer, consultant or agent.(2) The commission shall not assign an individual to lead an inspection team conducting an inspection as a result of a complaint filed against a nursing home facility if the individual works, or, at any previous time, has worked as an employee, as employment agency staff at the facility, or as an officer, consultant, or agent for the facility to be inspected.(3)(A) The commission shall not assign an individual to be a part of an inspection team conducting an inspection as a result of a complaint filed against a nursing home facility if the individual works, or, at any previous time, has worked as an employee, as employment agency staff at the facility, or as an officer, consultant, or agent for the facility to be inspected.(B) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(3)(A) to the contrary, the executive director may allow for exceptions to subdivision (c)(3)(A) if the executive director deems it necessary for the immediate protection of the health, safety or welfare of residents of a nursing home.
