La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-9303
Abuse-the infliction of physical or mental injury or the causing of the deterioration of an individual by means including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, or exploitation of funds or other things of value to such an extent that his health or mental or emotional well-being is endangered. Injury may include, but is not limited to: physical injury, mental disorientation, or emotional harm, whether it is caused by physical action or verbal statement or any other act or omission classified as abuse by Louisiana law, including, but not limited to, the Louisiana Children's Code.
Accredited-a national accreditation program meeting the requirements of and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in accordance with 42 CFR §488.
Administrator-the person responsible for the operation of the hospital commensurate with the authority conferred by the governing body.
Anesthesiologist-a physician, licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to practice medicine in this state who has completed postgraduate residency training in anesthesiology, and is engaged in the practice of such specialty.
Approved-acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)-an organization, office, or individual designated by a state or government agency to enforce building codes and other regulations related to construction projects.
Average Daily Census (ADC)-calculated by adding the midnight daily census of the main hospital or its off-site campus(es), independent of one another, for each day of the 12-month period and dividing the total number by the number of days in the year. In calculating the ADC for purposes of determining whether an entity meets the requirements of primarily engaged, LDH may utilize a period of between three months and 12 months.
Average Length of Stay (ALOS)-the average of the number of inpatient days a person is in the main hospital or its off-site campus(es). ALOS is calculated by dividing the total inpatient days by the total discharges during a specified period of time, which results in an average number of days in the main hospital or its off-site campus(es) for each person admitted. In calculating ALOS, LDH may utilize a period of between three months and 12 months. For purposes of calculating the ALOS of the main hospital or its off-site campus(es), each facility shall be considered an independent entity.
Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)-an advanced practice registered nurse as defined by R.S. 37:913, or current law.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist-an advanced practice registered nurse as defined by R.S. 37:913, or current law.
Cessation of Business-when a hospital is non-operational and stops providing services to the community, other than during a time of declared or non-declared emergency.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Administrator-Repealed.
Clinical Nurse Specialist-an advanced practice registered nurse as defined by R.S. 37:913, or current law.
Crisis Receiving Center-a specialty unit of a hospital that shall receive, examine, triage, refer or treat an individual who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
Deemed Status-a status applied by CMS to a hospital that is accredited by a national accreditation program meeting the requirements of and approved by CMS in accordance with 42 CFR § 488.5 or 42 CFR § 488.6.
Department-Louisiana Department of Health.
Direct Service Worker-an unlicensed person who provides personal care or other services and support to persons with disabilities or to the elderly to enhance their well-being and which involves face-to-face direct contact with the person.
Emergency Services-services that are usually and customarily available at the respective hospital and that shall be provided immediately to stabilize a medical condition which, if not stabilized, could reasonably be expected to result in the loss of the person's life, serious permanent disfigurement or loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ, or that is necessary to provide for the care of a woman in active labor if the hospital is so equipped and, if the hospital is not so equipped, to provide necessary treatment to allow the woman to travel to a more appropriate facility without undue risk of serious harm.
Employee-Repealed.
Fetal Final Disposition-the burial, cremation, or other disposition of the remains of a human fetus following fetal death in accordance with R.S. 8:651 et seq., or current law.
Food Delivery Services-the transportation of the nutritional and therapeutic dietetic services by a food management company that is delivered to the hospital and served to the patients of the hospital.
Food Management Company-an off-site vendor who provides nutritional and therapeutic dietetic services to the hospital through a contractual agreement and that is required to meet the same standards for food and dietetic services as provided by the hospital directly.
Health Standards Section (HSS)-the section of the Department of Health that has responsibility for licensing all healthcare facilities in Louisiana that are subject to licensing statutes. The HSS also conducts certification surveys and complaint surveys in programs that are Medicare and/or Medicaid certified.
Governing Body-the board of trustees, owner or person(s) designated by the owner with ultimate authority and responsibility (both moral and legal) for the management, control, conduct and functioning of the hospital.
Hospital-any institution, place, building, or agency, public or private, whether for profit or not, maintaining and operating facilities, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, having a minimum of 10 licensed beds, having staff and equipment sufficient to meet patient needs, and providing hospital services, care and treatment for injured, disabled or sick persons who are admitted with the expectation that he or she will require hospital care that is expected to span at least two midnights. Except as otherwise noted in these licensing regulations, a hospital shall be primarily engaged in providing inpatient services to inpatients, by or under the supervision of licensed physicians. Having the capacity or potential to provide inpatient hospital services is not the equivalent of actually providing such care. The term hospital does not include the following:
NOTE: Repealed.
Hospital Record-a compilation of the reports of the various clinical departments within a hospital, as well as reports from health care providers, as are customarily catalogued and maintained by the hospital medical records department. Hospital records include reports of procedures such as X-rays and electrocardiograms, but they do not include the image or graphic matter produced by such procedures, according to state law.
Immediate and Serious Threat-a crisis situation in which the health and safety of patients are at risk. It is a deficient practice which indicates the operator's inability to furnish safe care and services, although it may not have resulted in actual harm. The threat of probable harm is real and important and could be perceived as something which will result in potentially severe temporary or permanent injury, disability or death of patients.
Immediately Available-a person that is onsite and not assigned to any uninterruptible tasks.
Inpatient-a person who admitted to a hospital with the status of inpatient for purposes of receiving hospital services with the expectation that he/she will require hospital care expected to span at least two nights and occupy a bed even though it is later determined that the patient can be discharged or transferred to another hospital and not actually use a hospital bed overnight. Persons in hospital observation status are not inpatients.
Inpatient Hospital Services or Inpatient Service-includes, but is not limited to, the following services provided to inpatients of the hospital as either: diagnostic and therapeutic services for medical diagnosis, treatment, and care of injured, disabled, or sick persons; or rehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of injured, disabled, or sick persons.
License Under Suspensive Appeal-a license against which the department has taken a licensing action and the hospital has filed an administrative appeal.
Licensed Bed-an adult and/or pediatric bed set up or capable of being set up within 24 hours in a hospital for the use of patients, based upon bedroom criteria expressed in these standards. Emergency, labor, delivery, newborn bassinets, surgical/procedure, and recovery room beds are excluded.
Licensed Healthcare Practitioner-a person who is acting within the scope of practice of his/her respective licensing board and/or certifications.
Licensed Independent Practitioner-a person who is approved by his board for independent practice and who is approved by the medical staff and credentialed and approved by the Governing Board.
Licensed Nuclear Medicine Technologist-any person licensed to practice nuclear medicine technology by the Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners.
Licensed Nurse-a registered nurse as defined in R.S. 37:913, or current law, or a licensed practical nurse as defined in R.S. 37:961, or current law.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)-a person who practices practical nursing and who is licensed to practice practical nursing in accordance with R.S. 37:961, or current law.
Licensed Radiation Therapy Technologist-any person licensed to practice radiation therapy technology by the Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners.
Licensed Radiographer-any person licensed to practice general radiography by the Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners.
Minor Alteration-Repealed.
Miscarried Child-fetal remains resulting from a spontaneous fetal death that does not require compulsory registration pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 40:47, or current law.
Mobile Unit-any trailer or self-propelled unit equipped with a chassis on wheels and intended to provide health services at an LDH approved location. These units shall be maintained in good repair and equipped to be moved.
Monolithic Ceiling Construction-a ceiling constructed with a surface free of fissures, cracks, and crevices. Any penetrations such as lights, diffusers, and access panels shall be sealed or gasketed. Lay-in ceilings are not considered monolithic.
Naloxone Nasal Spray-an over-the-counter (OTC) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose.
Neglect-failure to provide the proper or necessary medical care, nutrition, or other care necessary for a patient's well-being, or any other act or omission classified as neglect by Louisiana law.
Neonatal-newborn immediately succeeding birth and continuing through the first 28 days of life.
New Construction-Repealed.
Non-Operational-when the hospital ceases accepting patients and/or the doors are locked to the public and there is no available patient care staff onsite.
Nurse Practitioner-an advanced practice registered nurse as defined by R.S. 37:913, or current law.
Nurse Staffing Agency (NSA)-any person, partnership, corporation, unincorporated association, or other legal entity, including a digital website/platform or digital smart phone application that employs, assigns, or refers nurses or certified nurse aides to render healthcare services in a healthcare facility for a fee. For purposes of these regulations, NSA does not include the following:
Nurse Practitioner-an advanced practice registered nurse as defined by R.S. 37:913.
Nurses' Call System-a system that audibly and/or visibly transmits calls electronically from its place of origin (e.g., the patient's bed) to the place of receipt (e.g., the nurses' station).
Nutritional and Therapeutic Dietetic Services-the provision of a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets the patients daily nutritional and special dietary needs in accordance with the licensed practitioners prescribed plan of care, and taking into consideration the preferences of each patient.
Observation Bed/Unit-Repealed.
Office of the Secretary-office of the person serving as the Secretary of the Department of Health.
Off-Site Campus-all premises on which hospital services (inpatient and/or outpatient) are provided and that are not adjoining to the main hospital buildings or grounds. Each off-site campus of a hospital shall be licensed as a part of the main hospital. An off-site campus must be held out to the public as part of the hospital, appear on the hospital's cost report, and bill using the hospital's national provider identifier number. An off-site campus shall be located within 50 miles of the main hospital campus. Any building separated by a public road, not adjoined by a sky bridge or covered and enclosed walkway, or building not licensed or owned by the hospital is considered offsite.
Organ-a structural part of the body that performs a particular function, such as the liver, spleen, digestive organs, reproductive organs, or organs of special sense. For paired organs, each one can function independently of the other.
Outpatient Observation Status-the level of care assigned to a patient when a physician or licensed healthcare practitioner, authorized to do so, prescribes an order for the patient to remain in the hospital for on-going short term treatment, assessment, and reassessment before a decision can be made regarding whether the patient will require further treatment as a hospital inpatient or if they are able to be discharged from the hospital. This status is not considered inpatient level of care.
Physician Assistant-a licensed physician assistant in accordance with R.S. 37:1360.22, or current law.
Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C)-a licensed physician assistant certified as defined in R.S. 37:1360.22, or current law. For PA-Cs providing care in the NICU, the PA -C shall have 12 months of post graduate NICU experience under the supervision of a neonatologist, and shall be deemed competent as an NICU PA-C by the supervising neonatologist.
Primarily Engaged-a hospital is directly providing inpatient hospital services to inpatients, by or under the supervision of licensed physicians. Inpatient hospital services are services defined in this licensing rule and are provided to inpatients of the hospital as one of the following:
Note: Repealed.
Radiologist-a doctor of medicine or osteopathy who is qualified by education and experience in radiology.
Registered Dietitian-a dietitian who is qualified based on registration by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association and licensing by the Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition.
Registered Nurse-any person licensed to practice nursing by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.
Registered Nurse (RN)-any individual licensed in accordance with R.S. 37:911 et seq., or current law, to engage in the practice of nursing as defined in R.S. 37:913, or current law.
Surgical Smoke Plume-the byproduct of using heat-producing equipment on tissue during surgery.
Therapeutic Recreational Services-services that identify leisure activities and assistance in modifying and adapting identified leisure activities to allow safe participation by the patient as a means to improve quality of life and aid in integration into the community.
Trauma Center-a hospital that is capable of treating one or more types of potentially seriously injured persons and that has been certified as a trauma center by the Department of Health.
Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP)-any unlicensed, trained personnel who cannot practice independently or without supervision by a RN, including but not limited to, operating and/or procedure room technicians, instrument cleaning and/or sterilization technicians, nursing assistants or orderlies, and mental health technicians.
La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-9303