(a) If a limited services rural hospital (LSRH) provides respiratory care as an outpatient service, the services shall meet the needs of the patients in accordance with acceptable standards of practice and shall comply with this section.
(b) The LSRH shall adopt, implement, and enforce policies and procedures that describe respiratory care services provision in the LSRH.
(c) The LSRH shall provide respiratory care services only on, and in accordance with, a physician's orders.
(d) The LSRH shall organize respiratory care services to ensure they are appropriate to the scope and complexity of the services offered.
(e) The LSRH shall have a medical director or clinical director of respiratory care services who is a physician with the knowledge, experience, and capabilities to supervise and administer the services properly. The medical director or clinical director may serve on either a full-time or part-time basis.
(f) The LSRH shall ensure the LSRH has an adequate number of respiratory therapists, respiratory therapy technicians, and other personnel who meet the qualifications specified by the medical staff, consistent with state law.
(g) The LSRH shall designate, in writing, personnel qualified to perform specific procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures.
(h) When respiratory care services staff perform blood gases or other clinical laboratory tests, the respiratory care staff shall comply with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA 1988) and the CLIA 1988 regulations at Code of Federal Regulations Title 42 CFR Part 493 (relating to Laboratory Requirements).

Source Note: The provisions of this §511.70 adopted to be effective October 5, 2023, 48 TexReg 5668