Introduced By: Representatives Ginaitt, Henseler, George, Benoit and Heffner
Date Introduced : February 2, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 23-17-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-17 entitled "Licensing of Health Care Facilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:
23-17-12. Inspections -- Nursing and personal care homes. -- (a) The licensing agency shall make or cause to be made unannounced inspections and investigations of nursing facilities and residential care/assisted living facilities. The director shall establish by regulation criteria to determine the frequency for such inspections and investigation that shall include specific criteria to determine the appropriate frequency of such surveys including, but not limited to, patient acuity, quality indicators, and a facility's past compliance with the regulations. In no instance shall any facility receive less than two (2) surveys in addition to the annual licensing survey required by this chapter. {ADD Any nursing care facility which is cited for substandard care by the licensing agency shall be inspected on a bimonthly basis for the twelve (12) month period immediately following any citation. The licensing agency shall, on an annual basis, cause no less than ten percent (10%) of all nursing care facility surveys to be conducted in whole or in part, on nights and/or on weekends. ADD} The inspections shall be conducted both as to profit and nonprofit facilities and the results shall be open to public inspection; however, requirements as to the fire safety code will be deferred in accordance with section 23-28.1-7.
(b) The licensing agency shall make or cause to be made unannounced inspections and/or investigations of any establishment, facility, boarding house, dormitory, however named, to determine whether the lodging facility should be licensed and regulated under the provisions of this chapter.
(c) All members of the general assembly and any general officer of this state may make announced and unannounced inspections of extended care facilities, skilled nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, personal care homes, nursing homes, and state institutions.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2000.
