S-0560.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5114

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Honeyford, Thibaudeau and Deccio

Read first time 01/13/1999.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long Term Care.

Exempting certain hospitals from annual inspections.

    AN ACT Relating to an exemption from annual inspections for hospitals accredited by the American osteopathic association; and amending RCW 70.41.122.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 70.41.122 and 1995 c 282 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

    Notwithstanding RCW 70.41.120, a hospital accredited by the joint commission on the accreditation of health care organizations or the American osteopathic association is not subject to the annual inspection provided for in RCW 70.41.120 if:

    (1) The department determines that the applicable survey standards of the joint commission on the accreditation of health care organizations or the American osteopathic association are substantially equivalent to its own;

    (2) It has been inspected by the joint commission on the accreditation of health care organizations or the American osteopathic association within the previous twelve months; and

    (3) The department receives directly from the joint commission on the accreditation of health care organizations, the American osteopathic association, or the hospital itself copies of the survey reports prepared by the joint commission on the accreditation of health care organizations or the American osteopathic association demonstrating that the hospital meets applicable standards.

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