1. (a) A person may not operate a hospital or related institution unless issued a registration permit or licensed by the Secretary.
2. (b) A hospital may not provide or hold itself out as providing comprehensive physical rehabilitation services, as defined in § 19-1201 of this title, or operate as a special rehabilitation hospital unless the hospital is classified as a special rehabilitation hospital by the Secretary.
3. (c) Unless a health care facility is classified as a special rehabilitation hospital by the Secretary, a health care facility may only offer those physical rehabilitation services which are appropriate and necessary to the care, treatment, or support of the acute, chronic disease, or long-term care patient.

4. (d)

   1. (1) A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 for the first offense and not exceeding $10,000 for each subsequent conviction for a violation of the same provision. Each day a violation is continued after the first conviction is a subsequent offense.
   2. (2) The Secretary may impose a civil money penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each offense under this section.

Added by Acts 1982, c. 21, § 2, eff. July 1, 1982. Amended by Acts 1986, c. 733, § 1, eff. July 1, 1986; Acts 1990, c. 270, § 1, eff. July 1, 1990; Acts 1993, c. 100, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1993.

Formerly Art. 43, § 565.