The department shall establish and adopt such minimum standards and rules pertaining to the construction, maintenance, and operation of hospitals, and rescind, amend, or modify such rules from time to time, as are necessary in the public interest, and particularly for the establishment and maintenance of standards of hospitalization required for the safe and adequate care and treatment of patients. To the extent possible, the department shall endeavor to make such minimum standards and rules consistent in format and general content with the applicable hospital survey standards of the joint commission on the accreditation of health care organizations. The department shall adopt standards that are at least equal to recognized applicable national standards pertaining to medical gas piping systems.

NOTES:

Effective date—1989 c 175: See note following RCW 34.05.010.
Savings—Effective date—1985 c 213: See notes following RCW 43.20.050.

Terms Used In Washington Code 70.41.030

  • Department: means the Washington state department of health. See Washington Code 70.41.020
  • Hospital: as used in this chapter does not include hotels, or similar places furnishing only food and lodging, or simply domiciliary care; nor does it include clinics, or physician's offices where patients are not regularly kept as bed patients for twenty-four hours or more; nor does it include nursing homes, as defined and which come within the scope of chapter 18. See Washington Code 70.41.020
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