The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings.

(1) Act--The Texas Hospital Licensing Law, Texas Health and Safety Code (HSC), Chapter 241.

(2) Actual harm--A negative outcome that compromises a patient's physical, mental, or emotional well-being.

(3) Advance directive--A directive, as that term is defined by HSC §166.031 (relating to Definitions), an out-of-hospital do not resuscitate (DNR) order as that term is defined by HSC §166.081 (relating to Definitions), or a medical power of attorney under HSC Chapter 166, Subchapter D (relating to Medical Power of Attorney).

(4) Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)--A registered nurse authorized by the Texas Board of Nursing to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse in Texas. The term includes a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, and clinical nurse specialist. The term is synonymous with "advanced nurse practitioner."

(5) Adverse event--An event that results in unintended harm to the patient by an act of commission or omission rather than by the underlying disease or condition of the patient.

(6) Applicant--A person who seeks a limited services rural hospital (LSRH) license from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and is legally responsible for the operation of the LSRH, whether by lease or ownership.

(7) Attending physician--A physician selected by or assigned to a patient who has primary responsibility for a patient's treatment and care.

(8) Available--When referring to on-site personnel, on the premises and able to rapidly perform hands-on care in an emergency situation.

(9) Biological indicators--Commercially available microorganisms (e.g., United States Food and Drug Administration approved strips or vials of Bacillus species endospores).

(10) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation--Any medical intervention used to restore circulatory or respiratory function that has ceased.

(11) Chemical dependency services--A planned, structured, and organized program designed to initiate and promote a person's chemical-free status or to maintain the person free of illegal drugs. It includes the application of planned procedures to identify and change patterns of behavior related to or resulting from chemical dependency that are maladaptive, destructive, or injurious to health, or to restore appropriate levels of physical, psychological, or social functioning lost due to chemical dependency.

(12) Competent--Possessing the ability, based on reasonable medical judgment, to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of a treatment decision, including the significant benefits and harms of and reasonable alternatives to a proposed treatment decision.

(13) Comprehensive medical rehabilitation--The provision of rehabilitation services that are designed to improve or minimize a person's physical or cognitive disabilities, maximize a person's functional ability, or restore a person's lost functional capacity through close coordination of services, communication, interaction, and integration among several professions that share responsibility to achieve team treatment goals for the person.

(14) Contaminated linen--Linen that has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials or may contain sharps.

(15) Dentist--A person licensed to practice dentistry by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. This includes a doctor of dental surgery or a doctor of dental medicine.

(16) Dietitian--A person who is currently licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as a licensed dietitian or provisional licensed dietitian, or who is a registered dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

(17) Do not resuscitate (DNR) order--An order issued under HSC Chapter 166, Subchapter E (relating to Health Care Facility Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders), instructing a health care professional not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a patient whose circulatory or respiratory function ceases.

(18) Emergency medical condition--A medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain, psychiatric disturbances or symptoms of substance abuse) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in one or all of the following: (A) placing the health of the individual (or with respect to a pregnant individual, the health of the pregnant individual or her unborn child) in serious jeopardy; (B) serious impairment to bodily functions; (C) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part; or (D) with respect to a pregnant individual who is having contractions: (i) that there is inadequate time to safely transfer to another hospital before delivery; or (ii) that transfer may pose a threat to the health or safety of the pregnant individual or the unborn child.

(19) General hospital--An establishment that: (A) offers services, facilities, and beds for use for more than 24 hours for two or more unrelated individuals requiring diagnosis, treatment, or care for illness, injury, deformity, abnormality, or pregnancy; and (B) regularly maintains, at a minimum, clinical laboratory services, diagnostic X-ray services, treatment facilities, including surgery or obstetrical care or both, and other definitive medical or surgical treatment of similar extent.

(20) Governing body--The governing authority of an LSRH that is responsible for the LSRH's organization, management, control, and operation, including appointment of medical staff. This term includes the owner or partners for an LSRH owned or operated by an individual or partners.

(21) Governmental unit--A political subdivision of the state, including a hospital district, county, or municipality, and any department, division, board, or other agency of a political subdivision.

(22) Incompetent--Lacking the ability, based on reasonable medical judgment, to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of a treatment decision, including the significant benefits and harms of and reasonable alternatives to a proposed treatment decision.

(23) Inpatient--An individual admitted to a facility for an intended length of stay of 24 hours or greater.

(24) Inpatient services--Services provided to an individual admitted to an LSRH for an intended length of stay of 24 hours or greater.

(25) Legally authorized representative (LAR)--A person authorized by law to act on behalf of another person with regard to a matter described in this chapter, including: (A) a parent, guardian, or managing conservator of a minor; (B) the guardian of an adult; (C) an agent to whom authority to make health care decisions is delegated under a medical power of attorney or durable power of attorney in accordance with state law; or (D) the representative of a deceased person.

(26) Licensed vocational nurse (LVN)--A person who is currently licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing as a licensed vocational nurse or who holds a valid vocational nursing license with multi-state licensure privilege from another compact state.

(27) Licensee--The person or governmental unit named in the application for issuance of an LSRH license.

(28) Limited services rural hospital (LSRH)--A general or special hospital that is or was licensed under HSC Chapter 241 and that: (A) is: (i) located in a rural area, as defined by: (I) Texas Health and Human Services Commission rule; or (II) 42 U.S.C. Section 1395ww(d)(2)(D); or (ii) designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as a critical access hospital, rural referral center, or sole community hospital; and (B) otherwise meets the requirements to be designated as to be designated as a rural emergency hospital under Code of Federal Regulations Title 42 (42 CFR) Part 485, Subpart E.

(29) Limited services rural hospital (LSRH) administration--Administrative body of an LSRH headed by an individual who has the authority to represent the LSRH and who is responsible for the operation of the LSRH according to the policies and procedures of the LSRH's governing body.

(30) Medical staff--A physician or group of physicians and a podiatrist or group of podiatrists who by action of the governing body of an LSRH are privileged to work in and use the facilities of an LSRH for or in connection with the observation, care, diagnosis, or treatment of an individual who is, or may be, suffering from a mental or physical disease or disorder or a physical deformity or injury.

(31) Mental health services--All services concerned with research, prevention, and detection of mental disorders and disabilities and all services necessary to treat, care for, supervise, and rehabilitate persons who have a mental illness.

(32) Nurse--A registered, vocational, or advanced practice registered nurse licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing or entitled to practice in this state under Texas Occupations Code Title 3, Subtitle E.

(33) Other potentially infectious materials--Any of the following materials. (A) The following human body fluids: (i) semen; (ii) vaginal secretions; (iii) cerebrospinal fluid; (iv) synovial fluid; (v) pleural fluid; (vi) pericardial fluid; (vii) peritoneal fluid; (viii) amniotic fluid; (ix) saliva in dental procedures; (x) any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood; and (xi) all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids; (B) any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); or (C) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV or hepatitis B virus (HBV)-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.

(34) Outpatient--An individual who presents for diagnostic or treatment services for an intended length of stay of less than 24 hours. An individual who requires continued observation may be considered as an outpatient for up to 48 hours.

(35) Outpatient services--Services provided to patients whose medical needs can be met in less than 24 hours and are provided within the LSRH. Services that require continued observation may be considered as outpatient services for up to 48 hours.

(36) Owner--One of the following persons or governmental unit which will hold or does hold a license issued under the statute in the person's name or the person's assumed name: (A) a corporation; (B) a governmental unit; (C) a limited liability company; (D) an individual; (E) a partnership if a partnership name is stated in a written partnership agreement or an assumed name certificate; (F) all partners in a partnership if a partnership name is not stated in a written partnership agreement or an assumed name certificate; or (G) all co-owners under any other business arrangement.

(37) Patient--An individual who presents for diagnosis or treatment.

(38) Person--An individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or joint stock company, and includes a receiver, trustee, assignee, or other similar representative of those entities.

(39) Physician--An individual licensed by the Texas Medical Board and authorized to practice medicine in the state of Texas.

(40) Physician assistant--A person licensed as a physician assistant by the Texas Physician Assistant Board.

(41) Podiatrist--A podiatrist licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

(42) Practitioner--A health care professional licensed in the state of Texas, other than a physician, podiatrist, or dentist.

(43) Prelicensure conference--A conference held with HHSC staff and the applicant or the applicant's representative to review licensure rules and survey documents and provide consultation prior to the on-site licensure inspection.

(44) Premises--A building where patients receive LSRH services.

(45) Prominent location--A size and font at least as large as that of surrounding text, links, or buttons, distinct from the background of the website, immediately viewable upon accessing the home page of the hospital's publicly accessible website without having to scroll.

(46) Prominently displayed--Refer to "prominent location."

(47) Public health emergency--A state of disaster or local disaster declared under Texas Government Code Chapter 418 or a public health disaster as defined by HSC §81.003.

Cont'd...