In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Health care facility” means: A hospital, as defined in § 19–301 of this title; A limited service hospital, as defined in § 19–301 of this title; A related institution, as defined in § 19–301 of this title; An ambulatory surgical facility; or A freestanding medical facility, as defined in § 19–3A–01 of this title. “Smoke evacuation system” means equipment that effectively captures and filters surgical smoke at the site of origin before the surgical smoke makes contact with the eyes or respiratory tract of occupants in the room. “Surgical smoke” means the gaseous by–product produced by energy–generating devices, including surgical plume, smoke plume, bio–aerosols, laser–generated airborne contaminants, or lung–damaging dust.

By January 1, 2028, each health care facility that performs surgical procedures shall adopt and implement policies that require the use of a smoke evacuation system during a surgical procedure that may generate surgical smoke.