NOTICES
Required Notifications to the Department of Health
[29 Pa.B. 6061] In accordance with 28 Pa. Code § 101.196 and § 201.23 enacted under the Health Care Facilities Act adopted by the Commonwealth at 35 P. S. § 448.801 et seq., any acute care general hospital and long term care facility which intends to close is to give written notice of such intent to the Department, not less than 90 days prior to the anticipated date of closing. The notice shall include a contingency plan which addresses the following:
--A transition plan for the closure of patient care units including the orderly transfer or discharge of patients and their medical record information;
--The current status of payments to vendors who provide supplies and/or services to patients;
--The policy and procedure for the diversion of emergency room admissions;
--The policy and procedure for the restriction of new admissions;
--The policy and procedure for the disposition of pharmaceuticals including controlled substances;
--The policy and procedure for the disposition and handling of biomedical, hazardous radioactive waste;
--A communication plan which includes providing information to patients, employes, the community, fire, safety and ambulance companies, vendors, government officials and relevant government agencies.
Under 28 Pa. Code § 51.3(c), any health care facility which intends to reduce the number of operational beds (from the date of the last survey) or to cease providing an existing health care service, which would include such things as closing an obstetrical/gynecological service, renal dialysis program, transplant program, outpatient clinic, home care department, is to provide written notice to the Department at least 60 days prior to the effective date it intends to cease providing an existing health care service or reduce its number of operational beds.
Under 28 Pa. Code § 51.3(f), if a health care facility is aware of a situation or the occurrence of an event at the facility which could seriously compromise quality assurance or patient safety, the facility shall immediately notify the Department in writing. The notification shall include sufficient detail and information to alert the Department as to the reason for its occurrence and the steps that the health care facility shall take to rectify the situation.
Under 28 Pa. Code § 601.13, any owner of a home health care agency shall immediately report to the Department, by phone and written follow up report, any action by the agency that causes an interruption or cessation of services.
Questions or inquiries concerning this notice should be sent to: Helen Burns, Acting Director, Bureau of Facility Licensure and Certification, 930 Health and Welfare Building, Harrisburg, PA 17108, or call V/TT (717) 783-6514 for speech and/or hearing impaired persons or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Services at (800) 654-5984 [TT].
ROBERT S. ZIMMERMAN, Jr.,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 99-2012. Filed for public inspection November 24, 1999, 9:00 a.m.]
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