[§321-14.5]  Hospitals; licensing.  (a) 
All hospitals shall be licensed by the department to ensure the health, safety,
and welfare of the individuals placed therein.



(b)  The director shall adopt rules in
accordance with chapter 91 that shall provide for the licensing of hospitals.



(c)  The rules may provide that accreditation
by the joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations
demonstrates a hospital's compliance with all licensing inspections required by
rules for the year in which the joint commission on accreditation of healthcare
organizations accreditation is issued.  The rules may exempt a hospital from a
licensing inspection for the year in which a joint commission on accreditation
of healthcare organizations accreditation is issued under the following
conditions:



(1)  The hospital provides a certified copy of the
hospital's official joint commission on accreditation of healthcare
organizations accreditation report to the department;



(2)  The hospital holds full accreditation by the
joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations; and



(3)  The hospital holds a current and valid license.



(d)  The rules shall provide that the
department may conduct inspections and investigations of exempt hospitals to
investigate complaints, follow up on adverse accreditation findings, or conduct
periodic validation surveys.



(e)  Information contained in reports of survey
and official accreditation letters made by the joint commission on
accreditation of healthcare organizations used in determining compliance with
licensing requirements shall be public information.



(f)  All other records maintained by the
department shall be governed by chapter 92F. [L 2002, c 118, §1]