Health care: health facilities: observation and short-stay observation services.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities, including general acute care hospitals, by the State Department of Public Health. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law provides that a general acute care hospital may be approved to offer special services, as specified, and requires the department to issue a special permit authorizing a health facility to offer one or more special services when specified requirements are met. Existing law provides for the application by general acute care hospitals for supplemental services approval and requires the department to, upon issuance and renewal of a license for certain health facilities, separately identify on the license each supplemental service. This bill would require a general acute care hospital that provides observation and short-stay observation services, as defined, to apply for approval from the department to provide the services as a supplemental service, and would require a general acute care hospital to obtain a special permit to provide short-stay observation services. The bill would require the department to adopt and enforce staffing standards for certain outpatient services and all ambulatory surgery centers, as specified, and would make other conforming changes. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.