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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="19-308" title_number="19" title_name="Health Care Facilities" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Hospitals and Related Institutions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Secretary shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations that set standards of services for related institutions, accredited hospitals, nonaccredited hospitals, accredited residential treatment centers, and nonaccredited residential treatment centers in the following areas:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The care of patients;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The medical supervision of patients;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The physical environment;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Disease control;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Sanitation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Safety; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Dietary matters.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>To assure compliance with the standards adopted under this subtitle, the Secretary shall have an inspection made:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Of each related institution, each accredited hospital or nonaccredited hospital, and each accredited residential treatment center or nonaccredited residential treatment center for which a license is sought; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Periodically of each related institution, each accredited hospital or nonaccredited hospital, and each accredited residential treatment center or nonaccredited residential treatment center for which a license has been issued.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>At least 2 inspections a year of each related institution shall be unannounced.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The part of a building that contains part of a hospital, residential treatment center, or related institution and any outbuilding are considered part of the facility and are subject to inspection to determine occupancy status for licensing purposes.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, during each regular session of the General Assembly, the Department shall submit to the General Assembly a report on the inspections.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An employee of the Department may not inform a hospital, residential treatment center, or related institution of any proposed inspection activity, unless the chief of the employee’s division directs the employee to do so.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An employee who violates any provision of this paragraph is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
