7 AAC 12 — Facilities and Local Units (Article 1 to 12)

A hospice agency must have a governing body that assumes full legal responsibility for determining, implementing, and monitoring the policies that govern operation of the hospice. In addition to meeting the applicable requirements of 7 AAC 12.630, the governing body shall (1) ado…

(a) The governing body of a full-service hospice agency shall appoint a professional advisory committee. The committee shall meet at least twice each year to advise and monitor the agency and shall report its findings in writing to the governing body. The committee must consist o…

(a) A full-service hospice agency shall designate an interdisciplinary team composed of individuals who provide or supervise the care and services offered by the agency. The interdisciplinary team must include at least a (1) physician; (2) registered nurse; (3) social worker desc…

(a) A full-service hospice agency shall maintain administrative control over the services provided by the agency. The agency may not delegate administrative and supervisory functions to another agency, individual, or organization. The hospice agency shall describe in writing (1) …

(a) A full-service hospice agency shall have a physician or advanced practice registered nurse to serve as medical director and assume overall responsibility for each client's care program. The medical director shall be a member of and oversee the interdisciplinary team and the p…

(a) A full-service hospice agency may provide home health aide services. If the agency provides home health aide services, those services must be provided (1) by a nurse aide with a current certification under AS 08.68.331; (2) in accordance with the plan of care; and (3) in acco…

A full-service hospice agency may provide physical therapy services. If the agency provides physical therapy services, the agency shall ensure that (1) the physical therapist and any physical therapist assistant meet the requirements of 7 AAC 12.690; and (2) in fulfilling supervi…

(a) A full-service hospice agency shall provide social work services required by 7 AAC 12.316(a) (3) (1) under the direction of a physician or advanced practice registered nurse; and (2) by a social worker who (A) has a master's degree from a social work curriculum accredited by …

(a) A hospice agency shall ensure that each volunteer provides care and services in accordance with the client's plan of care, and under the supervision of a designated hospice employee. (b) The agency shall develop and maintain policies and procedures that address the following …

(a) A full-service hospice agency shall develop an organized program to provide spiritual, emotional, bereavement, and other counseling services under the supervision of a qualified professional. Counseling services may include the provision of written material, social reorientat…

(a) A full-service or volunteer hospice agency shall require each volunteer and each direct service provider(1) to submit a written application; (2) to undergo a screening interview and an interview after training; (3) to receive the orientation and training required(A) under (b)…

(a) A hospice agency shall establish and maintain a clinical record for each client receiving care and services. The record must provide for identification, security, confidentiality, control, retrieval, and preservation of client care data and information. Each clinical record m…

A hospice agency shall have an employee health program that meets the requirements of 7 AAC 12.650. The agency shall require contractors and volunteers performing patient care or services for the agency to meet the requirements of 7 AAC 12.650. Notes 7 AAC 12.340 Eff. 5/24/2007, …

A hospice agency shall develop and implement written policies and procedures applicable to all agency staff that (1) minimize the risk of transmitting infection in all client care or services; and (2) provide for the safe handling and disposal of pathological, biohazardous, or in…

(a) A full-service hospice agency is subject to this section unless the agency provides inpatient care on agency premises. An agency that provides inpatient care on agency premises shall comply with 7 AAC 12.730. A hospice agency that is subject to this section shall maintain a s…

(a) A full-service hospice agency is subject to this section unless the agency provides inpatient care on agency premises. An agency that provides inpatient care on agency premises shall comply with 7 AAC 12.680. A hospice agency that is subject to this section shall develop poli…

If a hospice agency contracts with another entity or agent to perform services for or provide resources to the agency, the agency shall monitor and control those services and resources. In addition to meeting the requirements of 7 AAC 12.910, the agency shall ensure that the cont…

In 7 AAC 12.310 - 7 AAC 12.349, unless the context requires otherwise, (1) "advance health care directive" means an instruction described in AS 13.52 regarding the provision or nonprovision of health care; (2) "agency" means hospice agency; (3) "bereavement counseling" means emot…

A facility that is not a part of a hospital, nor part of a physician's general medical practice, and that operates primarily for the purpose of providing surgical services to patients who do not require hospitalization is an ambulatory surgical center and must comply with 7 AAC 1…

The ambulatory surgical center medical staff shall (1) recommend to the governing body the appointment of and the medical and surgical privileges for each member of the medical staff annually, or if approved by the governing body, biennially; (2) ensure that each patient is under…

An ambulatory surgical facility shall provide the following services: (1) surgical services that meet the following requirements:(A) a registered nurse with knowledge and experience in surgical techniques and procedures shall have supervisory responsibility for the surgical suite…

(a) The following emergency equipment must be available in the operating rooms: (1) an emergency call system; (2) equipment for the delivery of oxygen; (3) mechanical ventilatory assistance equipment, including airways in a range of sizes, and a manual breathing bag; (4) a cardia…

An ambulatory surgical center that provides labor and delivery services shall provide a separate and individual suite for those services. Notes 7 AAC 12.365 Eff. 11/19/83, Register 88; am 3/17/2022, Register 241, April 2022 Authority:AS 18.50.040 AS 47.32.010 AS 47.32.030 State r…

An ambulatory surgical facility may perform a voluntary termination of pregnancy if (1) it receives written authorization from a competent patient, or, if a patient is not competent, from the patient's legal representative; (2) it has evidence of a verified pregnancy test; (3) th…

Notes 7 AAC 12.400 Repealed 11/19/83. The substance of this regulation was revised and reorganized as part of a comprehensive revision of this chapter, effective 11/19/83, Register 88, and appears in 7 AAC 12.610. The history note at the end of that section does not reflect the h…

(a) Subject to (b) of this section, the department will consider an entity to be a free-standing birth center if the entity(1) is a publicly or privately owned facility, place, or institution that is constructed, renovated, leased, rented, or otherwise established; (2) is a place…

Notes 7 AAC 12.402 Repealed 11/19/83. The substance of this regulation was revised and reorganized as part of a comprehensive revision of this chapter, effective 11/19/83, Register 88, and appears in 7 AAC 12.620. The history note at the end of that section does not reflect the h…

(a) A birth center may provide midwifery services only to a woman who is a low-risk maternal client under 7 AAC 12.446. (b) If the midwife providing midwifery services in a birth center is a (1) direct-entry midwife, the birth center shall ensure that the direct-entry midwife pro…

Before providing services, a free-standing birth center must have a current license issued under 7 AAC 12.605 - 7 AAC 12.610. In addition to meeting the requirements of 7 AAC 12.605 - 7 AAC 12.610, the applicant shall provide the following information with the initial application…

(a) A birth center must have a governing body that is responsible for the overall operation and maintenance of the birth center, including personnel, facilities, equipment, and supplies. The birth center shall (1) ensure that its governing body includes one or more individuals wh…

Notes 7 AAC 12.410 Repealed 11/19/83. The substance of this regulation was revised and reorganized as part of a comprehensive revision of this chapter, effective 11/19/83, Register 88, and appears in 7 AAC 12.650 and 7 AAC 12.660. The history notes at the end of those sections do…

(a) In addition to meeting the requirements of 7 AAC 12.660, a birth center shall ensure that sufficient, qualified clinical staff and support staff are on duty and on call for the routine delivery of services needed by clients and newborns, and for the safe maintenance and opera…

(a) A birth center must develop and implement written policies and procedures for client management that are approved by the governing body and that include (1) policies and procedures to ensure that eligibility for birth services offered by the birth center is limited to low-ris…

(a) The birth center shall develop and implement a program for evaluating and improving the quality of(1) direct care services to childbearing families; and (2) the environment in which services are provided. (b) The birth center shall (1) include in its evaluation and improvemen…

(a) A birth center must have and observe written policies and procedures for (1) receiving, transcribing, and implementing orders for the administration of drugs; (2) labeling of every drug, medication, and chemical in the center with its name, strength, and expiration date; and …

(a) A birth center shall keep records for all clients admitted. Originals, or accurate reproductions of the contents of the originals, of all records, including x-rays, must be maintained in a form that is legible and uniform, contains complete and accurate client and newborn inf…

(a) A birth center shall ensure that sufficient supplies and equipment are maintained in a convenient area and immediately available for the care of maternal clients and newborns. Supplies and equipment must include (1) an emergency cart or tray for the client that(A) is equipped…

(a) A birth center must have at least one birth room that is adequate to provide for the equipment, staff, supplies, and emergency procedures required for the physical and emotional care of a client, her support person, and the newborn during birth, labor, and the recovery period…

(a) Any renovation, expansion, or new construction must comply with (1) the requirements of Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities, American Institute of Architects, 2001 edition, secs. 1 - 6 and sec. 9, adopted by reference; (2)7 AAC 09.010…

Notes 7 AAC 12.440 Repealed 11/19/83. The substance of this regulation was revised and reorganized as part of a comprehensive revision of this chapter, effective 11/19/83, Register 88, and appears in 7 AAC 12.920. The history note at the end of that section does not reflect the h…

Notes 7 AAC 12.442 Eff. 5/14/82, Register 82; am 11/19/83, Register 88; repealed 9/30/2007, Register 183 For risk management provisions applicable to birth centers, see 7 AAC 12.860. State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a com…

Notes 7 AAC 12.445 Repealed 11/19/83. The substance of this regulation was revised and reorganized as part of a comprehensive revision of this chapter, effective 11/19/83, Register 88, and appears in 7 AAC 12.446 and 7 AAC 12.990. The history note at the end of those sections doe…

For purposes of 7 AAC 12.401 - 7 AAC 12.449, the department will consider a woman who seeks the services of a free-standing birth center to be a low-risk maternal client if, based on physical examinations and risk assessments conducted in accordance with the standards developed u…

In 7 AAC 12.401 - 7 AAC 12.449, unless the context requires otherwise, (1) "active labor" has the meaning given "active phase" in this section; (2) "active phase" means the second phase in the first stage of labor when contractions are regular and occurring frequently, and the ce…

(a) The department will consider a rural health clinic, including a community health center and a federally qualified health center, to be a frontier extended stay clinic subject to the applicable requirements of this chapter if the department finds that the clinic is a permanent…

(a) In addition to complying with the requirements of 7 AAC 12.600(a) and (h), a frontier extended stay clinic must comply with 7 AAC 12.450 - 7 AAC 12.490. (b) A frontier extended stay clinic must provide medical, radiological, laboratory, extended stay, and emergency services. …

(a) In addition to complying with the requirements of 7 AAC 12.610, an individual seeking to operate a frontier extended stay clinic must provide, as part of the application for a license, (1) the name of each individual with ownership or control of the clinic; (2) a description …

(a) At least once each year, a frontier extended stay clinic must evaluate, or arrange for evaluation of, its total program to determine whether (1) the utilization of services was appropriate; (2) established policies were followed; and (3) any changes are needed. (b) The evalua…

(a) A frontier extended stay clinic must have the medical staff necessary to provide the care and services required in 7 AAC 12.453. (b) The medical staff shall develop, for approval by the governing body of the clinic, bylaws and rules that provide for (1) eligibility for medica…

(a) In addition to complying with the requirements of 7 AAC 12.660(c), a frontier extended stay clinic must ensure that mid-level practitioners are involved in the orientation and in-service education program for patient care personnel. The in-service education program must be de…