Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 70.38 - Health Planning and Development.
70.38.025 - Definitions.

RCW 70.38.025
Definitions.

When used in this chapter, the terms defined in this section shall have the meanings indicated.
(1) "Board of health" means the state board of health created pursuant to chapter 43.20 RCW.
(2) "Capital expenditure" is an expenditure, including a force account expenditure (i.e., an expenditure for a construction project undertaken by a nursing home facility as its own contractor) which, under generally accepted accounting principles, is not properly chargeable as an expense of operation or maintenance. Where a person makes an acquisition under lease or comparable arrangement, or through donation, which would have required review if the acquisition had been made by purchase, such expenditure shall be deemed a capital expenditure. Capital expenditures include donations of equipment or facilities to a nursing home facility which if acquired directly by such facility would be subject to certificate of need review under the provisions of this chapter and transfer of equipment or facilities for less than fair market value if a transfer of the equipment or facilities at fair market value would be subject to such review. The cost of any studies, surveys, designs, plans, working drawings, specifications, and other activities essential to the acquisition, improvement, expansion, or replacement of any plant or equipment with respect to which such expenditure is made shall be included in determining the amount of the expenditure.
(3) "Continuing care retirement community" means an entity which provides shelter and services under continuing care contracts with its members and which sponsors or includes a health care facility or a health service. A "continuing care contract" means a contract to provide a person, for the duration of that person's life or for a term in excess of one year, shelter along with nursing, medical, health-related, or personal care services, which is conditioned upon the transfer of property, the payment of an entrance fee to the provider of such services, or the payment of periodic charges for the care and services involved. A continuing care contract is not excluded from this definition because the contract is mutually terminable or because shelter and services are not provided at the same location.
(4) "Department" means the department of health.
(5) "Expenditure minimum" means, for the purposes of the certificate of need program, one million dollars adjusted by the department by rule to reflect changes in the United States department of commerce composite construction cost index; or a lesser amount required by federal law and established by the department by rule.
(6) "Health care facility" means hospices, hospice care centers, hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, kidney disease treatment centers, ambulatory surgical facilities, and home health agencies, and includes such facilities when owned and operated by a political subdivision or instrumentality of the state and such other facilities as required by federal law and implementing regulations, but does not include any health facility or institution conducted by and for those who rely exclusively upon treatment by prayer or spiritual means in accordance with the creed or tenets of any well-recognized church or religious denomination, or any health facility or institution operated for the exclusive care of members of a convent as defined in RCW 84.36.800 or rectory, monastery, or other institution operated for the care of members of the clergy. In addition, the term does not include any nonprofit hospital: (a) Which is operated exclusively to provide health care services for children; (b) which does not charge fees for such services; and (c) if not contrary to federal law as necessary to the receipt of federal funds by the state.
(7) "Health maintenance organization" means a public or private organization, organized under the laws of the state, which:
(a) Is a qualified health maintenance organization under Title XIII, section 1310(d) of the Public Health Services [Service] Act; or
(b)(i) Provides or otherwise makes available to enrolled participants health care services, including at least the following basic health care services: Usual physician services, hospitalization, laboratory, X-ray, emergency, and preventive services, and out-of-area coverage; (ii) is compensated (except for copayments) for the provision of the basic health care services listed in (b)(i) to enrolled participants by a payment which is paid on a periodic basis without regard to the date the health care services are provided and which is fixed without regard to the frequency, extent, or kind of health service actually provided; and (iii) provides physicians' services primarily (A) directly through physicians who are either employees or partners of such organization, or (B) through arrangements with individual physicians or one or more groups of physicians (organized on a group practice or individual practice basis).
(8) "Health services" means clinically related (i.e., preventive, diagnostic, curative, rehabilitative, or palliative) services and includes alcoholism, drug abuse, and mental health services and as defined in federal law.
(9) "Health service area" means a geographic region appropriate for effective health planning which includes a broad range of health services.
(10) "Person" means an individual, a trust or estate, a partnership, a corporation (including associations, joint stock companies, and insurance companies), the state, or a political subdivision or instrumentality of the state, including a municipal corporation or a hospital district.
(11) "Provider" generally means a health care professional or an organization, institution, or other entity providing health care but the precise definition for this term shall be established by rule of the department, consistent with federal law.
(12) "Public health" means the level of well-being of the general population; those actions in a community necessary to preserve, protect, and promote the health of the people for which government is responsible; and the governmental system developed to guarantee the preservation of the health of the people.
(13) "Secretary" means the secretary of health or the secretary's designee.
(14) "Tertiary health service" means a specialized service that meets complicated medical needs of people and requires sufficient patient volume to optimize provider effectiveness, quality of service, and improved outcomes of care.
(15) "Hospital" means any health care institution which is required to qualify for a license under *RCW 70.41.020(2); or as a psychiatric hospital under chapter 71.12 RCW.

[ 2000 c 175 § 22; 1997 c 210 § 2; 1991 c 158 § 1; 1989 1st ex.s. c 9 § 602; 1988 c 20 § 1; 1983 1st ex.s. c 41 § 43; 1983 c 235 § 2; 1982 c 119 § 1; 1980 c 139 § 2; 1979 ex.s. c 161 § 2.]
NOTES:

*Reviser's note: RCW 70.41.020 was amended by 2002 c 116 § 2, changing subsection (2) to subsection (4). RCW 70.41.020 was subsequently alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015(2)(k), changing subsection (4) to subsection (5). RCW 70.41.020 was subsequently amended by 2016 c 226 § 1, changing subsection (5) to subsection (7). RCW 70.41.020 was subsequently amended by 2021 c 157 § 3, changing subsection (7) to subsection (8).

Effective date—2000 c 175: See note following RCW 70.127.010.

Severability—1983 1st ex.s. c 41: See note following RCW 26.09.060.