KRS 216B.185: Accreditation as evidence of compliance with licensing requirements --

Exemption from inspection -- Fees -- Submission of building plans -- Standards

for licensure.

(1) The Office of the Inspector General shall accept accreditation by the Joint

Commission or another nationally recognized accrediting organization with

comparable standards and survey processes, that has been approved by the United

States Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services, as evidence that a hospital

demonstrates compliance wit h all licensure requirements under this chapter. An

annual on-site licensing inspection of a hospital shall not be conducted if the Office

of the Inspector General receives from the hospital:

(a) A copy of the accreditation report within thirty (30) days o f the initial

accreditation and all subsequent reports; or

(b) Documentation from a hospital that holds full accreditation from an approved

accrediting organization on or before July 15, 2002.

(2) Nothing in this section shall prevent the Office of the Ins pector General from

making licensing validation inspections and investigations as it deems necessary

related to any complaints. The cabinet shall promulgate the necessary administrative

regulations to implement the licensing validation process. Any adminis trative

regulations shall reflect the validation procedures for accredited hospitals

participating in the Medicare program.

(3) A hospital shall pay any licensing fees required by the cabinet in order to maintain a

license.

(4) A new hospital shall not be exempt from the on -site inspection until meeting the

requirements of subsection (1) of this section and administrative regulations

promulgated under KRS 216B.040, 216B.042, and 216B.105 for acute, critical

access, psychiatric, and rehabilitation facility requirements.

(5) Before beginning construction for the erection of a new building, the alteration of

an existing building, or a change in facilities for a hospital, the hospital shall submit

plans to the Office of Inspector General for approval.

(6) To the extent possible, the cabinet shall consider all national standards when

promulgating administrative regulations for hospital licensure.