Section 124.23. Outpatient services.

 

(1)   Direction. If outpatient services are offered by the hospital, the service shall be under the direction of a qualified member of the medical staff.

(2)   Written policies and procedures. The hospital shall have written policies and procedures relating to staffing and functions of the service and medical records.

(3)   Administration.

(a) The outpatient service shall be organized into sections or clinics, the number of which shall depend on the size and the degree of departmentalization of the medical staff, the available facilities and the needs of the patients for whom the service accepts responsibility.

(b) The outpatient service shall have cooperative arrangements with appropriate community agencies in regard to services provided by the outpatient service and the needs of the patients.

(c) Outpatient clinics shall be integrated with corresponding inpatient services.

(d) On their initial visit to the service, patients shall receive an appropriate health assessment with follow-up as indicated.

(4)   Personnel.

(a) The outpatient service shall have the professional and nonprofessional personnel needed to adequately meet the needs of the outpatient population.

(b) A registered nurse shall be responsible for the nursing care of the service.

(5)   Facilities.

(a) Facilities shall be provided to ensure that the outpatient service is operated efficiently and to protect the health and safety of the patients.

(b) The number of examination and treatment rooms shall be adequate in relation to the volume and nature of work performed.

(6)   Outpatient record. A record shall be maintained for each patient who receives outpatient services. The record shall be maintained and correlated with inpatient and emergency medical records.

Cr. Register, January, 1988, No. 385 , eff. 2-1-88.