La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-7521

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

Section I-7521 - Agency Operations

A. Municipals. Rural health clinics shall function as a community resource for all citizens of the service area and shall promote improvement of the health of the entire community by providing educational opportunities where feasible, resource lists for referrals, assistance with accessing other resources, wellness programs, and participation in community efforts to promote health and safety. Rural health clinics shall demonstrate the following:

1. Telemedicine Capacity/Resource. Computer access is recommended.

2. Emergency Preparedness. A RHC shall:

a. maintain a disaster plan appropriate to region and community;

b. have facility protocols for medical and non-medical emergencies;

c. maintain emergency supplies to provide basic emergency care in the case of a disaster in the community;

d. participate in the development of local community disaster plan, and;

e. test the emergency preparedness plan annually, by participating in a community-based full-scale exercise (if available) or conduct an individual facility-based functional exercise every other year. In the opposite years off the full-scale exercise, RHCs are required to conduct a testing exercise of its choice, which may include either a community-based full-scale exercise (if available), an individual, facility-based functional exercise, a drill, or a table-top exercise or workshop.

i. RHCs that activate their emergency plans are exempt from the next required full-scale community-based or individual, facility-based functional exercise. In this case, the RHC must be able to demonstrate, through written documentation, that it activated its emergency preparedness plan due to the emergency.

B. Agreements. Written agreements shall be clearly worded, dated, reviewed and signed by all parties. All agreements shall be updated as needed to reflect any changes in relationships, provision of services, or other pertinent information.

C. Operation Hours. A RHC shall provide:

1. RHC services during the hours of operation as indicated on their licensing application, and in their policies and procedures. In addition, patient care services by a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or certified nurse-midwife shall be available at least 50 percent of the time the RHC operates.

a. - c. Repealed.

2. on-call qualified professional assistance for 24 hours per day, seven days per week;

3. appropriately qualified professional staff on duty during all hours of operation. Failure to do so will result in immediate adverse action.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-7521

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 25:1846 (October 1999), amended LR 28:510 (March 2002), Amended by the Department of Health, Health Standards Section, LR 501280 (9/1/2024).

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