La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-7519

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-7519 - Services

A. Preventive Services

1. Health. Community-wide immunization efforts; wellness/fitness programs; educational programs; and health screening shall be provided.

2. Dental. Educational information and a current list of local dental providers shall be available.

B. Diagnostic Services. The clinic must have the capacity to evaluate and make initial diagnoses on-site in order to refer the patient to the appropriate facility for treatment and/or more definitive diagnoses. RHCs shall, as a minimum, provide basic laboratory services essential to the immediate diagnosis and treatment of the patient. This includes:

1. chemical examinations of urine by stick or tablet method, or both (including urine ketones);

2. hemoglobin or hematocrit;

3. blood glucose;

4. examination of stool specimens for occult blood;

5. pregnancy tests; and

6. primary culturing for transmittal to a certified laboratory.

C. Treatment Services

1. Primary Care. The clinic shall provide primary care services, as defined in §7501 to all citizens of the community. Required primary care components include:

a. prevention of illness, education in wellness and preventive measures;

b. assessment and physical examination; and

c. diagnosis and treatment.

2. Emergency Care. The clinic shall maintain emergency equipment, medications and personnel to provide pre-hospital advanced cardiac life support until emergency transportation can arrive and assume care of those in need of services.

a. Facilities within ten minutes of Advanced Life Support (ALS) services may opt to have written agreement with a provider to provide services in lieu of certain equipment such as defibrillators and monitors, but must have equipment required for Basic Life Support.

b. All facilities shall have written agreement with emergency transportation provider to transport to the nearest hospital.

3. All facilities shall have written policies and procedures that identify a prearranged plan for access to a nearby hospital that provides advanced life support services.

4. Contracted Treatment Services. Written agreements with full-service hospitals and credentialed practitioner(s) for specialty care must be current, clearly written, and reviewed annually. The RHC retains responsibility for all medical care provided until the patient is referred to or admitted into another facility. Agreements must be signed and dated by all parties.

D. Miscellaneous Services

1. Family Services. The Rural Health Clinic shall maintain a current list of local/nearest support organizations and assist (whenever necessary) with accessing those entities. Examples of services that may be listed by the clinic shall include such organizations as the Public Health Unit, Office of Family Support, school clinics, hospices agencies, home health agencies, American Cancer Society, and services for substance abuse and mental illness.

2. Coordination of services for complex cases is the responsibility of the RHC professional staff.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-7519

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 25:1846 (October 1999), amended LR 28:509 (March 2002), Amended by the Department of Health, Health Standards Section, LR 501279 (9/1/2024).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 46:153 and R.S. 40:2197.