The purpose of construction regulations is to provide for a safe and effective patient care environment. These rules are not retroactive and are intended to be applied as outlined below.

(1) These regulations apply to hospitals including:

(a) New buildings to be licensed as a hospital;

(b) Conversion of an existing building or portion of an existing building for use as a hospital;

(d) Alterations to an existing hospital; and

(e) Buildings or portions of buildings licensed as a hospital and used for hospital services;

(f) Excluding nonpatient care buildings used exclusively for administration functions.

(2) The requirements of chapter 246-320 WAC in effect at the time the application and fee are submitted to the department, and project number is assigned by the department, apply for the duration of the construction project.

(3) Standards for design and construction.

Facilities constructed and intended for use under this chapter shall comply with:

(a) The following chapters of the 2014 edition of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities as developed by the Facilities Guidelines Institute and published by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering of the American Hospital Association, 155 North Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606, as amended in WAC 246-320-600:

(i) 1.1 Introduction

(ii) 1.2 Planning, Design, Construction, and Commissioning

(iii) 1.3 Site

(iv) 1.4 Equipment

(v) 2.1 Common Elements for Hospitals

(vi) 2.2 Specific Requirements for General Hospitals

(vii) 2.3 Specific Requirements for Freestanding Emergency Departments

(viii) 2.4 Specific Requirements for Critical Access Hospitals

(ix) 2.5 Specific Requirements for Psychiatric Hospitals

(x) 2.6 Specific Requirements for Rehabilitation Hospitals and Other Facilities

(xi) 2.7 Specific Requirements for Children's Hospitals

(xii) 3.1 Common Elements for Outpatient Facilities

(xiii) 3.2 Specific Requirements for Primary Care Facilities

(xiv) 3.3 Specific Requirements for Freestanding Outpatient Diagnostic and Treatment Facilities

(xv) 3.4 Specific Requirements for Freestanding Birth Centers

(xvi) 3.5 Specific Requirements for Freestanding Urgent Care Facilities

(xvii) 3.6 Specific Requirements for Freestanding Cancer Treatment Facilities

(xviii) 3.7 Specific Requirements for Outpatient Surgical Facilities

(xix) 3.8 Specific Requirements for Office Based Procedure and Operating Rooms

(xx) 3.9 Specific Requirements for Endoscopy Facilities

(xxi) 3.10 Specific Requirements for Renal Dialysis Centers

(xxii) 3.11 Specific Requirements for Outpatient Psychiatric Centers

(xxiii) 3.12 Specific Requirements for Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Facilities

(xxiv) 3.13 Mobile, Transportable, and Relocatable Units

(xxv) 3.14 Specific Requirements for Dental Facilities

(xxvi) Part 4: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities

(b) The National Fire Protection Association, Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, as adopted by the centers for medicaid and medicare services.

(d) Accepted procedure and practice in cross-contamination control, Pacific Northwest Edition, 6th Edition, December 1995, American Waterworks Association.

(e) The National Fire Protection Association, Health Care Facilities Code, NFPA 99, as adopted by the centers for medicaid and medicare services.

PDFWAC 246-320-500

Applicability of WAC 246-320-500 through 246-320-600.