PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-320 WAC, Hospital licensing regulations (construction standards only), updating WAC 246-320-500 Applicability of WAC 246-320-500 through 246-320-600, 246-320-505 Design, construction review, and approval of plans, and 246-320-600 Washington state amendments.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 70.41.030.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The construction standards portion of the hospital licensing rules adheres to the 2006 edition of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, published by the American Institute of Architects, as do the Washington amendments in WAC 246-320-600. The guidelines are updated every four years. The newest edition will be published in January 2010. The department is considering using the updated guidelines. In order to do so, the 2010 edition must be incorporated into the construction standards sections of the hospital licensing rules. The Washington amendments in WAC 246-320-600 may also need to be updated to correlate with the 2010 guidelines.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting John Hilger, Rules Coordinator, Health Professions and Facilities, 310 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501-7852, e-mail john.hilger@doh.wa.gov, phone (360) 236-2929, fax (360) 236-2901. The department will notify all licensees and organizations who have expressed an interest in rule-making activities. Interested parties may also submit written comments for consideration.
October 6, 2009
B. White
for Mary C. Selecky
Secretary