Section 1248.35 Of Chapter 1.3. Outpatient Settings From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 1.3.
1248.35
. (a) Every outpatient setting that is accredited shall be
inspected by the accreditation agency and may also be inspected by
the Medical Board of California. The Medical Board of California
shall ensure that accreditation agencies inspect outpatient settings.
(b) Unless otherwise specified, the following requirements apply
to inspections described in subdivision (a).
(1) The frequency of inspection shall depend upon the type and
complexity of the outpatient setting to be inspected.
(2) Inspections shall be conducted no less often than once every
three years by the accreditation agency and as often as necessary by
the Medical Board of California to ensure the quality of care
provided. After the initial inspection for accreditation, subsequent
inspections may be unannounced. For unannounced routine inspections,
the accreditation agency shall notify the outpatient setting that the
inspection will occur within 60 days.
(3) The Medical Board of California or the accreditation agency
may enter and inspect any outpatient setting that is accredited by an
accreditation agency at any reasonable time to ensure compliance
with, or investigate an alleged violation of, any standard of the
accreditation agency or any provision of this chapter.
(c) If an accreditation agency determines, as a result of its
inspection, that an outpatient setting is not in compliance with the
standards under which it was approved, the accreditation agency may
do any of the following:
(1) Require correction of any identified deficiencies within a set
timeframe. Failure to comply shall result in the accrediting agency
issuing a reprimand or suspending or revoking the outpatient setting'
s accreditation.
(2) Issue a reprimand.
(3) Place the outpatient setting on probation, during which time
the setting shall successfully institute and complete a plan of
correction, approved by the board or the accreditation agency, to
correct the deficiencies.
(4) Suspend or revoke the outpatient setting's certification of
accreditation.
(d) (1) Except as is otherwise provided in this subdivision,
before suspending or revoking a certificate of accreditation under
this chapter, the accreditation agency shall provide the outpatient
setting with notice of any deficiencies and the outpatient setting
shall agree with the accreditation agency on a plan of correction
that shall give the outpatient setting reasonable time to supply
information demonstrating compliance with the standards of the
accreditation agency in compliance with this chapter, as well as the
opportunity for a hearing on the matter upon the request of the
outpatient setting. During the allotted time to correct the
deficiencies, the plan of correction, which includes the
deficiencies, shall be conspicuously posted by the outpatient setting
in a location accessible to public view. Within 10 days after the
adoption of the plan of correction, the accrediting agency shall send
a list of deficiencies and the corrective action to be taken to the
board and to the California State Board of Pharmacy if an outpatient
setting is licensed pursuant to Article 14 (commencing with Section
4190) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions
Code. The accreditation agency may immediately suspend the
certificate of accreditation before providing notice and an
opportunity to be heard, but only when failure to take the action may
result in imminent danger to the health of an individual. In such
cases, the accreditation agency shall provide subsequent notice and
an opportunity to be heard.
(2) If an outpatient setting does not comply with a corrective
action within a timeframe specified by the accrediting agency, the
accrediting agency shall issue a reprimand, and may either place the
outpatient setting on probation or suspend or revoke the
accreditation of the outpatient setting, and shall notify the board
of its action. This section shall not be deemed to prohibit an
outpatient setting that is unable to correct the deficiencies, as
specified in the plan of correction, for reasons beyond its control,
from voluntarily surrendering its accreditation prior to initiation
of any suspension or revocation proceeding.
(e) The accreditation agency shall, within 24 hours, report to the
board if the outpatient setting has been issued a reprimand or if
the outpatient setting's certification of accreditation has been
suspended or revoked or if the outpatient setting has been placed on
probation. If an outpatient setting has been issued a license by the
California State Board of Pharmacy pursuant to Article 14 (commencing
with Section 4190) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and
Professions Code, the accreditation agency shall also send this
report to the California State Board of Pharmacy within 24 hours.
(f) The accreditation agency, upon receipt of a complaint from the
board that an outpatient setting poses an immediate risk to public
safety, shall inspect the outpatient setting and report its findings
of inspection to the board within five business days. If an
accreditation agency receives any other complaint from the board, it
shall investigate the outpatient setting and report its findings of
investigation to the board within 30 days.
(g) Reports on the results of any inspection shall be kept on file
with the board and the accreditation agency along with the plan of
correction and the comments of the outpatient setting. The inspection
report may include a recommendation for reinspection. All final
inspection reports, which include the lists of deficiencies, plans of
correction or requirements for improvements and correction, and
corrective action completed, shall be public records open to public
inspection.
(h) If one accrediting agency denies accreditation, or revokes or
suspends the accreditation of an outpatient setting, this action
shall apply to all other accrediting agencies. An outpatient setting
that is denied accreditation is permitted to reapply for
accreditation with the same accrediting agency. The outpatient
setting also may apply for accreditation from another accrediting
agency, but only if it discloses the full accreditation report of the
accrediting agency that denied accreditation. Any outpatient setting
that has been denied accreditation shall disclose the accreditation
report to any other accrediting agency to which it submits an
application. The new accrediting agency shall ensure that all
deficiencies have been corrected and conduct a new onsite inspection
consistent with the standards specified in this chapter.
(i) If an outpatient setting's certification of accreditation has
been suspended or revoked, or if the accreditation has been denied,
the accreditation agency shall do all of the following:
(1) Notify the board of the action.
(2) Send a notification letter to the outpatient setting of the
action. The notification letter shall state that the setting is no
longer allowed to perform procedures that require outpatient setting
accreditation.
(3) Require the outpatient setting to remove its accreditation
certification and to post the notification letter in a conspicuous
location, accessible to public view.
(j) The board may take any appropriate action it deems necessary
pursuant to Section 1248.7 if an outpatient setting's certification
of accreditation has been suspended or revoked, or if accreditation
has been denied.