Facility/Provider Definitions

Updated July 2009

Abortion Clinic– Abortion clinics are facilities for terminating pregnancies. This does not include a hospital or a doctor's office where abortions might be performed, but where this is not the primary purpose. Abortion clinics are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Authorized Procedures:

First Trimester – The First Trimester is considered to be the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (the first 14 completed weeks from the last normal menstrual period).  Abortion clinics with First Trimester denoted on their license may only perform abortions through the 12^th week of pregnancy.

First or Second Trimester – The Second Trimester is considered to be that portion of pregnancy following the 12^th week and extending through the 24^th week of gestation.  Abortion Clinics with First or Second Trimester denoted on their license may only perform abortions through the 24^th week of pregnancy.

Adult Day Care Center– Adult day care centers provide programs and services for adults who need a protective setting during the day. An adult day care center can be a freestanding program or services can be offered through a nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospital. The basic services include, but are not limited to:  social activities, self-care training, nutritional meals, a place to rest, and respite care.  Adult day care centers are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Adult Family Care Home– Adult family care homes provide full-time, family-type living in a private home for up to five elderly persons or adults with a disability, who are not related to the owner. The owner lives in the same house as the residents. The basic services include, but are not limited to:  housing and nutritional meals; help with the activities of daily living, like bathing, dressing, eating, walking, physical transfer, giving medications or helping residents give themselves medications; supervision of residents; arrange for health care services; provide or arrange for transportation to health care services; health monitoring; and social activities. Adult family care homes are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Ambulatory Surgical Center– Ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) are freestanding facilities that are not part of a hospital. An ASC provides elective surgical care where the patient is admitted to and discharged from the facility within the same working day. The patient does not stay overnight. Hospitals can have outpatient surgical units, but these units would be a part of the hospital license and would not require a separate ASC license. Ambulatory surgical centers are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Assisted Living Facility– Assisted living facilities (ALF) provide full-time living arrangements in the least restrictive and most home-like setting. The basic services include, but are not limited to: housing and nutritional meals; help with the activities of daily living, like bathing, dressing, eating, walking, physical transfer, giving medications or helping residents give themselves medications; arrange for health care services; provide or arrange for transportation to health care services; health monitoring; respite care; and social activities. Assisted living facilities are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Assisted Living Facility (ALF) Bed Types:

• ECC: Extended Congregate Care– An ALF with an ECC license may keep residents who become frailer than would normally be permitted in order for the resident to age in place. For example with an ECC license the facility can provide total help with bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting, and can provide or arrange for rehabilitative services, along with other services.  However, this does not include 24-hour nursing services.
• LNS: Limited Nursing Services– An ALF with a LNS license offers some limited nursing services as defined by law, but does not include 24-hour nursing supervision.
• OSS: Optional State Supplementation – An ALF with an Optional State Supplementation license is a cash assistance program provided through the Florida Department of Children and Families. It adds to a person's income to help pay for costs in an assisted living facility, mental health residential treatment facility or an adult family care home. The OSS listing refers to the number of beds available for residents receiving OSS.
• Private:Private Beds – An ALF with private beds refers to the beds available for private pay residents.

Assisted Living Facility (ALF) Specialty Licenses:

• Extended Congregate Care (ECC) – Defined above.
• Limited Mental Health Services (LMH) – An ALF with a specialty license to provide limited mental health services.  This type of license must be obtained if an assisted living facility serves three or more mental health residents.  Services must be provided for the special needs of these residents, along with the basic services of an assisted living facility.  A facility with a limited mental health license must consult with the resident and the resident’s mental health case manager to develop and carry out a community living support plan.                                                                                                              
• Limited Nursing Services (LNS) - Defined above.

Birth Center– A birth center is a freestanding facility in which births are planned to occur away from the mother's place of residence following a normal, uncomplicated, low-risk pregnancy. It is not an ambulatory surgery center, a hospital, or located within a hospital. Birth centers are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Cardiac Catheterization– Cardiac catheterization laboratories are freestanding facilities that employ or contract with licensed health care professionals to provide diagnostic or therapeutic services for cardiac conditions such as cardiac catheterization or balloon angioplasty. Cardiac catheterization may also be performed at other types of health care facilities, like hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers. Freestanding cardiac catheterization labs are not required to have a state license.

Clinical Laboratory– A clinical laboratory performs one or more of the following services to provide information or materials for use in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of a disease or the identification or assessment of a medical or physical condition. Services include examination of fluids, tissue, cells, or other materials taken from the human body. All facilities, including physician offices, performing non-waived clinical laboratory testing, are required to get a federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) certificate and a state clinical laboratory license. Providers performing only waived testing who do not use a microscope are required to get a federal CLIA Certificate of Wavier. Survey requirements apply only to those laboratories performing non-waived testing.

Community Mental Health Partial Hospital Program – These programs provide services for mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Florida has outpatient license requirements only for substance abuse services and health care clinics. The Department of Children and Families regulates substance abuse services and outpatient mental health services, and the Agency for Health Care Administration licenses health care clinics. Unless the program meets the requirement to be a licensed health care clinic or a licensed substance abuse program, or a licensed outpatient mental health program, there is no state license requirement for partial hospitalization programs for community mental health providers. For further information see the health care clinic definition (in this document) or contact the Department of Children and Families concerning substance abuse services and outpatient mental health services.

Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility – A comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility is a non-residential facility that provides diagnostic, therapeutic, and restorative services for the rehabilitation of injured, disabled, or sick persons, by or under the supervision of a physician. Comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities are not required to be licensed by the state if they are Medicare certified.  Comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are not certified under the Medicare program may require licensure as a health care clinic.

Crisis Stabilization Unit– The list of crisis stabilization units includes two programs. 

• Crisis stabilization units provide brief psychiatric intervention, primarily for low-income individuals with acute psychiatric conditions. Inpatient stays average 3 to 14 days, resulting in return to the patient's own home or placement in a long-term mental health facility or other living arrangements.
• Short-term residential treatment facilities provide a step-down service for residents of crisis stabilization units needing a more extended, but less intensive level of active treatment for psychiatric conditions. 

Both of these facility types are licensed by the State of Florida.  If you call any of the facilities on this list you will want to ask them if they are a crisis stabilization unit or a short-term residential treatment facility.

Services/Characteristics:

Adult Crisis Stabilization Unit – A crisis stabilization unit licensed to only treat adults (ages 18 and older). 

Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit – A crisis stabilization unit licensed to only treat children (ages 17 and younger).

End-Stage Renal Disease – This is a program that offers dialysis services. (Dialysis cleans the blood by passing it through a special machine. This is necessary when the kidneys are not able to filter the blood.) The program can either be a freestanding facility or offered as an outpatient service through a hospital. End-stage renal disease programs are not required to have a state license.

Forensic Toxicology Laboratory – A forensic toxicology laboratory examines specimens taken from the human body to look for the presence or absence of drugs or their metabolites.  The purpose is to promote a drug free workplace. A forensic toxicology laboratory is licensed by the State of Florida and must meet the requirements of a clinical laboratory (See the clinical laboratory definition).

Health Care Clinics – A health care clinic provides health care services to individuals for a fee. Health care clinics are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Services/Characteristics:

Mobile Clinic – A self contained treatment or diagnostic unit that travels to set locations where the patients enter the unit for treatment.

MRI – A clinic that performs diagnostic services like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Portable Equipment Provider – Business in which the provider performs services in multiple locations like doctor’s offices, or private residences.

Health Care Clinics - Exemptions– These are businesses that have gotten an exemption to the health care clinic license requirement. However, businesses that meet the exemption criteria are not required to have an official exemption, so there may be clinics that are exempt that are not listed here. The exemption criteria are listed in section 400.9905(3), Florida Statutes.

Health Care Services Pool – A health care services pool provides temporary employment of licensed, certified, or trained health care personnel to health care facilities, residential facilities, and agencies. Health care services pools are registered by the State of Florida.

Home Health Agency – A home health agency provides services to patients in private homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family care homes. Some of the services include nursing care; physical, occupational, respiratory, and speech therapy; home health aides; homemaker and companions; and medical equipment and supplies. Along with services in the home, an agency can also provide staffing services in nursing homes and hospitals. Home health agencies are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

If it lists Medicare and/or Medicaid under Certification Status on Facility Locator that means the agency can serve Medicare and/or Medicaid patients.

Home Medical Equipment and Services – A home medical equipment company sells or rents medical equipment and services for use in the home. Home medical equipment includes any product as defined by the Federal Drug Administration's Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics Act; any products reimbursed under the Medicare Part B Durable Medical Equipment benefits; or any products reimbursed under the Florida Medicaid durable medical equipment program. Home medical equipment includes oxygen and related respiratory equipment; manual, motorized, or customized wheelchairs and related seating and positioning. Service includes managing the equipment and teaching consumers in its use. Home medical equipment companies are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Homemaker and Companion Services– Homemakers and companions companies provide housekeeping, prepare and serve meals, help with shopping, routine household chores, companionship in the client's home, and can take the client to appointments and other outings. By law, homemakers and companions may not provide hands-on personal care, such as help with bathing, and cannot give medications. Homemaker and companion agencies are registered by the State of Florida. However, individuals who work on their own, with no other workers helping them are not required to be registered.

Homes for Special Services – A home for special services is a residential facility where specialized health care services are provided, including personal and custodial care, but not full-time nursing services. Home for special services are licensed by the State of Florida.

Hospice– A hospice provides services in a patient's residence or in a hospice facility for patients with a diagnosis of a terminal illness. They provide a coordinated program of professional services, including pain management and counseling for patients; nursing, physician, therapy, and social work services; counseling and support for family members and friends of the patient; and other support services. Hospices are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Hospital– A hospital provides a range of health care services for people who need care longer than 24 hours, including medical, surgical, psychiatric, testing, and diagnostic services; and treatment for illness, injury, disease, pregnancy, etc. Also available are laboratory and X-ray services, and treatment facilities for surgery or obstetrical care, or special services like burn treatment centers. Hospitals are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida. Hospitals are subject to annual Life-Safety surveys by the State of Florida.  Non-accredited hospitals are also subject to annual licensure inspections.

Hospital Bed Types:

Acute Care – Inpatient Acute Care Beds.  These are beds accommodating patients in a hospital which has an average length of stay of 25 days or less.  Acute care beds are used generally to provide short-term medical treatment for patients having an acute illness or injury or recovering from surgery or childbirth.

Adult Psych – Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Beds.  These are hospital beds designated for the exclusive use of providing hospital inpatient psychiatric services to patients aged 18 years and older.  Adult inpatient psychiatric beds are utilized to treat adults whose sole diagnosis or principal diagnosis is a psychiatric disorder.

Adult Substance – Adult Inpatient Substance Abuse Beds.  These are hospital beds designated for the exclusive use of providing hospital inpatient substance abuse services to patients aged 18 years and older.  Adult inpatient substance abuse beds are utilized to treat adults whose sole diagnosis or principal diagnosis is a substance abuse disorder.

Child Psych – Children’s Inpatient Psychiatric Beds.  These are hospital beds designated for the exclusive use of providing hospital inpatient psychiatric services to patients under the age of 18.  Children’s inpatient psychiatric beds are utilized to treat children and adolescents whose sole diagnosis or principal diagnosis is a psychiatric disorder.

Child Substance – Children’s Inpatient Substance Abuse Beds.  These are hospital beds designated for the exclusive use of providing hospital inpatient substance abuse services to patients under the age of 18.  Children’s inpatient substance abuse beds are utilized to treat children and adolescents whose sole diagnosis or principal diagnosis is a substance abuse disorder.

Comp Med Rehab – Comprehensive Medical Rehabilitation Inpatient Beds.  These are hospital beds dedicated to providing integrated intensive care services provided by a coordinated multidisciplinary team to patients with severe physical disabilities, such as stroke, spinal cord injury, congenital deformity, amputation, major multiple trauma, hip fracture, brain injury, polyarthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis), neurological disorders (including multiple sclerosis, motor neuron diseases, polyneuropathy, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson's disease), and burns.

IRTF – Intensive Residential Treatment Facility Beds.  These beds are used exclusively for the diagnosis and treatment of patients under the age of 18 having psychiatric disorders in order to restore them to an optimal level of functioning.

Long Term Care – Long Term Acute Care Beds.  These are acute care beds located in a hospital that has been designated a Long Term Care Hospital and has an average inpatient length of stay of greater than 25 days. Long term acute care beds are used to treat medically complex patients requiring specialized acute care services who would potentially stay in a short term acute care hospital for an extended length of time.  This includes a wide range of conditions all with severe medical complications that together contribute to the overall condition of the patient and require acute treatment (not treatment of chronic stable conditions).

NICU Level 2 - Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) caring for moderately ill or recuperating infants who are over their acute phase of illness.

NICU Level 3 - Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) capable of caring for the most complex and severely ill babies.

SNU – Skilled Nursing Unit Beds.  These beds are typically used to provide only short term care and rehabilitation services.

Intermediate Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled – This residential facility provides services by an interdisciplinary team to increase a client's independence and prevent loss of abilities. They are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Lithotripsy– Lithotripsy centers are freestanding facilities that employ or contract with licensed health care professionals to provide diagnosis or treatment services using electro-hydraulic shock waves in the treatment of kidney stones. Freestanding lithotripsy centers do not require a state license. Lithotripsy may also be performed at other types of health care facilities, like hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers.

Multiphasic Health Test Center– At a multiphasic health test center specimens are taken from the human body for delivery to registered clinical laboratories for analysis and where certain measurements are taken such as height, weight, and blood pressure; limited audio and visual tests are done; and electrocardiograms are made. Multiphasic health test centers are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Nurse Registry– A nurse registry acts as employment agency between an individual patient and nurses, nursing assistants, home health aides, companions and homemakers for services in the patient's home.Nurse registries also provide temporary staff for nursing homes, hospitals, and other businesses. Each individual health care worker is an independent contractor and is not a direct employee of the nurse registry. Nurse registries are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Nursing Home – A skilled nursing facility is another name for a nursing home. They provide nursing, personal, custodial, and rehabilitative care. Skilled nursing facilities are freestanding, which means they are not part of a hospital. Skilled nursing facilities are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Nursing Home Bed Types:

Community Beds - are nursing home beds available to serve persons in the community

Pediatric Beds - are community beds designated for use by children

Private Beds - represent the number of beds in single occupancy rooms

Rooms (2 Beds) - represent the numbers of rooms that contain 2 beds

Rooms (3 Beds) - represent the numbers of rooms that contain 3 beds

Rooms (4 Beds) - represent the numbers of rooms that contain 4 beds

Sheltered Beds - are nursing home beds located within a continuing care retirement community available to serve persons living in the retirement community

Special Services/Characteristics:

Gold Seal Nursing Home - The Governor's Panel on Excellence in Long Term Care recognizes these nursing homes as meeting high standards and quality of care.  The Gold Seal is awarded for a two-year period to those facilities that meet or exceed the Gold Seal standards, as mandated by Section.400.235 F.S., and 59A-4.200-206, F.A.C.

Organ and Tissue Procurement – Organ and tissue procurement facilities are generally freestanding facilities that have referral relationships with transplant hospitals and surgeons. There are three types of facilities: Organ procurement organizations recover organs, hearts, lungs, kidneys, etc. from donors for transplantation; eye banks recover eyes and eye tissue for transplantation; and tissue banks recover tissue, bone, skin, tendons etc. for transplantation. Organ and tissue procurement facilities are licensed by the State of Florida.

Portable X-Ray – A portable x-ray provider gives diagnostic x-ray tests in a patient’s own home, a nursing home, or a hospital that does not provide x-ray services for its patients directly but arranges for services with a portable x-ray provider. Some portable x-ray providers may need a health care clinic license. See the health care clinic definition for further information.

Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Center– A prescribed pediatric extended care center (PPEC) provides basic nonresidential services to three or more medically dependent or technologically dependent children with complex medical conditions that require continual care. The comprehensive care includes medical, nursing, psychosocial, and developmental therapies. PPECs are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Rehabilitation Agencies – A rehabilitation agency provides a multidisciplinary program to help improve the physical function of disabled individuals by creating a team of specialized rehabilitation staff. The rehabilitation agency provides at least physical therapy or speech-language pathology services and social or vocational adjustment services. Rehabilitation agencies are not required to be licensed by the state if they are Medicare certified.  Rehab agencies that are not certified under the Medicare program may require licensure as a health care clinic.

• Extension Unit – A location other than the rehabilitation agency’s main location where services are provided (this cannot include a patient’s home).

Residential Treatment Centerfor Children and Adolescents – These are 24 hour residential programs, including therapeutic group homes that provide mental health treatment and services to children under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed as having mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.  Residential treatment centers are licensed by the State of Florida.

Therapeutic Group Home – A 24-hour residential program providing community-based mental health treatment and mental health support services in a home-like setting to no more than 12 children.

Community Residential Home – A dwelling unit licensed to serve clients of the Department of Children and Family Services, which provides a living environment for 7 to 14 unrelated residents who operate as the functional equivalent of a family, including such supervision and care by supportive staff as may be necessary to meet the physical, emotional, and social needs of the residents.

Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) – A non-hospital facility with a provider agreement with a State Medicaid Agency to provide the inpatient services benefit to Medicaid-eligible individuals under the age of 21 (psych under 21 benefit). 

Residential Treatment Facility – A residential treatment facility provides long-term residential care with coordinated mental health services for adults diagnosed with a serious and persistent major mental illness. A state license covers five levels of care that range from having full-time nurses on staff to independent apartments that receive only weekly staff contact. Residential treatment facilities are licensed and surveyed by the State of Florida.

Residential Treatment Facility Types:

Level IA and Level IB – Level IA and IB facilities provide the highest level of care of all licensed residential treatment facilities.  They provide a structured group treatment setting with 24 hours per day, 7 days per week supervision for residents who have major skill deficits in activities of daily living and independent living, and are need of intensive staff supervision, support and assistance.  Nursing supervision is provided 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, however, nursing services are limited to medication administration, monitoring vital signs, first aid and individual assistance with ambulation, bathing, dressing, eating and grooming.  The minimum staffing is 1:10 staff to resident ratio with never less than 2 staff on the premises at all times.

Level II – Level II facilities provide a structured group treatment setting with 24 hour per day, 7 days per week supervision for five or more residents who range from those who have significant deficits in independent living skills and need extensive supervision, support, and assistance, to those who have achieved a limited capacity for independent living, but who require frequent supervision, support and assistance.  Level II facilities maintain a minimum of 1:15 staff to resident ratio with never less than one staff on the premises when residents are present during normal waking hours.  During sleeping hours, a minimum of 1:22 staff to resident ratio is required.

Level III – Level III facilities consist of collocated apartment units with an apartment or office for staff who provided on-site assistance 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  The residents served in these facilities have a moderate capacity for independent living.  Level III facilities maintain a minimum 1:20 staff to resident ratio with never less than one staff on the premises when residents are present during normal waking hours.  During normal sleeping hours, a minimum of 1:40 staff to resident ratio is required.

Level IV – Level IV facilities provide a semi-independent, minimally structured group setting for 4 or more residents who have attained most of the skills required for independent living and require minimal staff support.  Level IV facilities may have less than 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on-premises supervision; however, on-call staff must be available at all times.  Staff is required to have a minimum of weekly on-premises contact with residents.

Level V – Level V facilities provide the least amount of care and supervision.  Level V facilities provide a semi-independent, minimally structured apartment setting for 1 to 4 residents who have attained adequate independent living skills and require minimal staff support.  Level V facilities may have less than 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on-premises supervision; however, on-call staff must be available at all times.  Staff is required to have a minimum of weekly on-premises contact with residents.

Rural Health Clinics – A rural health clinic (RHC) must be designated by the Florida Department of Health as located in a rural and medically under-served area and employ a mid-level practitioner for 50% of the time of its operating hours. The clinic provides care for rural residents by paying primary care practitioners a better rate to those who choose to practice in a rural setting. There are two types of rural health clinics. An independent rural health clinic is a freestanding practice that is not part of a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or home health agency. A provider-based rural health clinic is a part of a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or home health agency. Some rural health clinics may require a health care clinic license. See the health care clinic definition for further information.

Skilled Nursing Unit – Skilled nursing units are based in hospitals, either housed inside the hospital or in a separate building. They typically provide only short term care and rehabilitation services. The skilled nursing unit does not have a separate license because it is part of the hospital license. See the hospital definition for further information.

Transitional Living Facility – A transitional living facility provides services to persons with a spinal-cord-injury or head-injury.  Specialized health care services include rehabilitative services, community reentry training, aids for independent living, counseling, and other services. This term does not include a hospital licensed under chapter 395 or any federally operated hospital or facility. A transitional living facility is licensed by the State of Florida.

Definitions – Other

Accreditations:

• Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (www.aaahc.org) -

The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, also known as AAAHC or the Accreditation Association, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1979.  Their goal is to develop standards to advance and promote patient safety, quality and value for ambulatory health care through peer-based accreditation processes, education and research.  Accreditation is ultimately awarded to organizations that are found to be in compliance with the AAAHC standards.  AAAHC currently accredits a wide variety of ambulatory health care settings, including ambulatory and office based surgery centers and managed care organizations.

• Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers ( http://www.birthcenters.org/open-abc/bc-accreditation/)

The Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC) is currently the only accrediting body whose goal is unique to birth centers.  Centers that are accredited by the CABC must demonstrate adherence to standards of quality above that of basic licensure and that the center’s care is consistent with the philosophy of the American Association of Birth Centers.

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (www.carf.org)

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) was founded in 1966 and is an independent, nonprofit organization.  CARF reviews and grants accreditation services nationally and internationally on request of a facility or program.  It is their mission to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served.  CARF currently accredits a wide variety of providers including adult day services, assisted living, nursing homes, behavioral health, child and youth services, medical rehabilitation (hospitals), opioid drug treatment programs, as well as suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies.

• Council on Accreditation (www.coanet.org)

The Council on Accreditation (COA) is an international, independent, not-for-profit, child- and family-service and behavioral healthcare accrediting organization.  COA was founded in 1977 by the Child Welfare League of America and Family Service America (now the Alliance for Children and Families).  COA currently accredits over 45 different service areas.  Among the service areas are behavioral health, substance abuse treatment, adult day care, services for the homeless, foster care, and inter-country adoption.  An organization  seeking COA accreditation is evaluated against best-practice standards, which are developed using a consensus model with input from a wide range of service providers, funders, experts, policymakers and consumers.

• National Committee for Quality Assurance (www.ncqa.org)

The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, not-for-profit accrediting organization that was founded in 1990.  NCQA utilizes a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process which assesses the quality of the key systems and processes that define health care organizations.  NCQA offers accreditation programs for managed behavioral healthcare organizations, health plans, wellness and health promotion, managed care organizations, preferred provider organizations, and disease management.

• The Joint Commission or JCAHO (www.jointcommission.org )

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization which accredits and certifies more than 16,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.  The Joint Commission’s mission is “to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.  The Joint Commission provides accreditation services for the following types of organizations:  General, psychiatric, children’s and rehabilitation hospitals; Critical access hospitals; Medical equipment services, hospice services and other home care organizations; Nursing homes and other long term care facilities; Behavioral health care organizations and addiction services; Rehabilitation centers, group practices, office-based surgeries and other ambulatory care providers; and Independent or freestanding laboratories.

Burn Unit

A burn unit is a particular unit within a hospital with its own separate space that is equipped and staffed to provide specialized care solely for severely burned persons.  A burn unit is required to have at least five dedicated burn beds.

Comprehensive Stroke Centers

Comprehensive stroke centers are hospitals that are designated by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to meet Florida regulation requirements for excellence in promoting better outcomes for stroke patients.  The hospital must attest that it has received initial Primary Stroke Center designation as well as certain additional criteria.  In addition to the requirements for a primary stroke center, a comprehensive stroke center must have health care personnel with clinical expertise in a number of disciplines available, advanced diagnostic capabilities, provide neurological surgery and endovascular interventions, a specialized infrastructure (includes emergency medical services, referral and triage, specialized inpatient units, post stroke rehabilitation, educational needs, professional standards for nursing and research), and a quality improvement program which includes clinical outcomes measurement.  This certification shows that the hospital provides the most comprehensive services to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients.

Critical Access Hospitals

A critical access hospital, as defined in section 408.07(15), Florida Statutes, is a small rural hospital of 25 beds or less that is reimbursed for 101 percent of the cost of providing services to Medicare patients as a means to stabilize and improve access to hospital care in rural areas.  A critical access hospital must provide 24 hour emergency, outpatient, and limited inpatient services, and must meet other requirements to support the services provided. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (www.cms.hhs.gov) designates which hospitals are critical access hospitals.

Further information can be found on the webpage for the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health: www.doh.state.fl.us/Workforce/RuralHealth/ruralhealthhome.html

 

Emergency Actions:

Moratorium - prohibition on the acceptance of new clients.

Suspension - process whereby the provider's license (originally issued by the Agency for Health Care Administration) is suspended or temporarily limited pending further Agency action.  During suspension, the provider may not operate.

Level 1 Adult Cardiovascular Service - Cardiovascular services that include adult diagnostic cardiac catheterization and the provision of percutaneous coronary intervention (angioplasty).

Level 2 Adult Cardiovascular Service - Cardiovascular services that include adult diagnostic cardiac catheterization, the provision of percutaneous coronary intervention (angioplasty), and the provision of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (open heart surgery).

Ownership

• For Profit Ownership

A for profit facility offers services or goods and operates to make money.  The net earnings go to the benefit of private shareholders or individuals, as well as to maintain and develop the facility.

• Government Ownership

Government ownership is when the facility is owned by the government and the goods and services are financed by public money and are offered for the public good.

• Not-for-Profit Ownership

A not-for-profit facility operates not to make money, but to serve the public good.  Any net earnings by a not-for-profit are used by the not-for-profit facility for the purposes of which it was established.  The net earnings do not benefit any private shareholder or individual.

Primary Stroke Centers

Primary stroke centers are hospitals that are designated by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to meet Florida regulation requirements for excellence in promoting better outcomes for stroke patients.  The hospital has to attest that it is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission or that the program meets the criteria applicable to primary stroke centers as outlined by The Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care Manual.  This certification shows that the hospital provides services to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. 

For further information on The Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certification Program visit www.jointcommission.org. 

Statutory Rural Hospitals

A rural hospital, as defined in section 395.602, Florida Statutes, is an acute care hospital licensed under Chapter 395 of the Florida Statutes, having 100 or fewer licensed beds and an emergency room.  In addition, the hospital is in a county with a population density of no greater than 100 persons per square mile and is at least one of the following:  1) the sole hospital provider in the county; 2) at least 30 minutes travel time from another acute care hospital in the same county; 3) a hospital supported by a tax district or sub-district; 4) a hospital with a service area as defined in s 408.07(43)(d), Florida Statues; or 5) a critical access hospital.

Further information can be found on the webpage for the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health: www.doh.state.fl.us/Workforce/RuralHealth/ruralhealthhome.html.

Statutory Teaching Hospital

Any Florida hospital officially affiliated with an accredited Florida medical school which exhibits activity in the area of graduate medical education as reflected by at least seven different graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association and the presence of 100 or more full-time equivalent resident physicians. The Director of the Agency for Health Care Administration shall be responsible for determining which hospitals meet this definition.

Trauma Center

A hospital is designated as a trauma center by the Florida Department of Health (DOH).  The hospital has to apply to DOH and show substantial compliance with the requirements as defined in section 395.4025, Florida Statutes.  Trauma services are for patients who have experienced a single or multi-system injury due to blunt or penetrating means or burns that require immediate medical intervention or treatment.

A Level 1 trauma center treats trauma patients; has formal research and education programs for the improvement of trauma care; and serves as a resource to Level 2 trauma centers, pediatric trauma centers, and general hospitals through shared outreach, education, and quality improvement activities.  A Level 1 trauma center also meets the designation of a pediatric trauma center and serves as such.

A Level II trauma center treats trauma patients; serves as a resource to general hospitals through shared outreach, education, and quality improvement activities; and participates in an inclusive system of trauma care.

A pediatric trauma center treats pediatric trauma patients who are 15 years of age or younger.