1. A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subtitle, each hospital and residential treatment center shall be open to inspections by the Department to investigate and resolve any complaint concerning patient care, safety, medical and nursing supervision, physical environment, sanitation, or dietary matters.

2. B. Complaints.

   1. (1) To resolve expeditiously a complaint that alleges the existence of any non-life-threatening deficiency, the Department shall refer the complaint directly to the hospital.
   2. (2) If appropriate, issues relating to the practice of medicine or the licensure or conduct of a health professional shall be referred to the hospital and may be referred to the appropriate licensure Board for resolution.

   3. (3) If the Department determines that the hospital has not satisfactorily addressed the referred complaint or if the complaint alleges the existence of a life-threatening deficiency, the Department shall conduct an independent investigation. When conducting its independent investigation, the Department shall use the standards adopted by the Secretary under this subtitle and:

      1. (a) For an accredited hospital, the hospital accreditation standards of the accreditation organization that accredits the hospital;
      2. (b) For an accredited special rehabilitation hospital, the service standards adopted by the Secretary in Regulation .10 of this chapter; or
      3. (c) For a nonaccredited hospital, the standards adopted by the Secretary in Regulation .09 of this chapter.

Authority: Health-General Article, §§19-307.2, 19-308, 19-308.6, 19-308.8, 19-318—19-320, 19-323, 19-342, 19-349.1, and 19-380—19-385; Insurance Article, Title 4, Subtitle 4; Public Safety Article, §14-110.1; Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: December 19, 1946

Amended effective March 20, 1959

Amended effective September 1, 1964

Regulations .03C, G, I, K; .04B, D; .05A, B; .06C; .07B, E; .08A, B; .09B, C; .10F; .11A, B; .12F amended effective February 24, 1978 (5:4 Md. R. 226)

Regulations .01—.13 repealed and new Regulations .01—.10 adopted effective August 1, 1983 (10:15 Md. R. 1350)

Regulation .01 amended as an emergency provision effective August 12, 1985 (12:18 Md. R. 1756), emergency status expired December 10, 1985; adopted permanently effective December 16, 1985 (12:25 Md. R. 2471)

Regulation .01 amended effective May 23, 1994 (21:10 Md. R. 844)

Regulations .01, .02B, .04A, .05A, .07, .08B amended; .02C, .09D, and new .10 and .11 adopted; existing .10—.20 recodified as .12—.22 as an emergency provision effective July 1, 1986 (13:15 Md. R. 1726); adopted permanently effective December 1, 1986 (13:24 Md. R. 2558)

Regulation .01B amended effective December 28, 1987 (14:26 Md. R. 2746); August 6, 1990 (17:15 Md. R. 1858)

Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective July 1, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1396); amended permanently effective October 30, 2000 (27:21 Md. R. 1975)

Regulation .01B amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721); April 21, 2008 (35:8 Md. R. 804); June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852); April 16, 2012 (39:7 Md. R. 491); March 31, 2014 (41:6 Md. R. 378); March 27, 2017 (44:6 Md. R. 325); April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 420)

Regulation .02 recodified to be Regulation .03 and new Regulation .02 adopted effective July 4, 2016 (43:13 Md. R. 712)

Regulation .02 amended effective April 13, 2026 (53:7 Md. R. 328)

Regulation .02D adopted effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulation .02D repealed effective June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .03 repealed and Regulation .02 recodified to be Regulation .03 effective July 4, 2016 (43:13 Md. R. 712)

Regulation .03 amended effective June 24, 1991 (18:12 Md. R. 1338)

Regulation .03A amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721); June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .04 amended effective June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .04A amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulation .04A, C amended effective March 13, 2017 (44:5 Md. R. 292)

Regulation .04D amended effective February 26, 2007 (34:4 Md. R. 400)

Regulation .05 amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulation .05A amended effective June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .06A amended as an emergency provision effective November 20, 2019 (46:26 Md. R. 1162); emergency status expired May 18, 2020

Regulation .06C adopted as an emergency provision effective November 20, 2019 (46:26 Md. R. 1162); emergency status expired May 18, 2020

Regulation .06-1 adopted as an emergency provision effective July 1, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1396); adopted permanently effective October 30, 2000 (27:21 Md. R. 1975)

Regulation .07 amended effective December 28, 1987 (14:26 Md. R. 2746); June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .07A amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulation .08 amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulation .08B adopted effective June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .08B amended effective April 13, 2026 (53:7 Md. R. 328)

Regulation .09 amended effective June 24, 1991 (18:12 Md. R. 1338); November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721); June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .09A amended effective February 26, 2007 (34:4 Md. R. 400); March 31, 2014 (41:6 Md. R. 378); April 13, 2026 (53:7 Md. R. 328)

Regulation .10A amended effective June 24, 1991 (18:12 Md. R. 1338); November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulations .11—.20 adopted as an emergency provision effective August 12, 1985 (12:18 Md. R. 1756), emergency status expired December 10, 1985; adopted permanently effective December 16, 1985 (12:25 Md. R. 2471)

Regulation .13 amended effective May 23, 1994 (21:10 Md. R. 844)

Regulation .20 amended effective December 28, 1987 (14:26 Md. R. 2746)

Regulation .21 repealed effective March 13, 2017 (44:5 Md. R. 292)

Regulation .22 repealed effective May 23, 1994 (21:10 Md. R. 844)

Regulation .22 adopted effective April 16, 2012 (39:7 Md. R. 491)

Regulation .23 adopted effective February 22, 1988 (15:4 Md. R. 473)

Regulation .23A and C amended as an emergency provision effective June 9, 1988 (15:14 Md. R. 1653); emergency status expired December 9, 1988; adopted permanently effective December 26, 1988 (15:26 Md. R. 2982)

Regulations .24—.26 adopted effective December 28, 1987 (14:26 Md. R. 2746)

Regulation .24 amended effective March 1, 2004 (31:4 Md. R. 315); March 31, 2014 (41:6 Md. R. 378)

Regulation .24C amended as an emergency provision effective May 6, 2025 (52:11 Md. R. 531); adopted permanently effective October 13, 2025 (52:20 Md. R. 1001)

Regulation .24E amended effective April 16, 2012 (39:7 Md. R. 491)

Regulation .25 repealed effective March 15, 2004 (31:5 Md. R. 448)

Regulation .25 adopted effective February 25, 2008 (35:4 Md. R. 514)

Regulation .26 recodified to Regulation .27, and new Regulation .26 adopted effective March 20, 1989 (16:5 Md. R. 629)

Regulation .26 amended effective April 2, 1990 (17:6 Md. R. 741)

Regulations .27—.31 adopted effective August 6, 1990 (17:15 Md. R. 1858)

Regulation .27 recodified to Regulation .32 effective August 6, 1990 (17:15 Md. R. 1858)

Regulations .27—.31 repealed effective May 23, 1994 (21:10 Md. R. 844)

Regulation .27 adopted effective March 13, 2006 (33:5 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .28 adopted effective June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .28A amended effective April 13, 2026 (53:7 Md. R. 328)

Regulation .29 adopted effective March 31, 2014 (41:6 Md. R. 378)

Regulation .29F adopted effective April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 420)

Regulation .30 adopted effective July 4, 2016 (43:13 Md. R. 712)

Regulation .30A amended effective April 13, 2026 (53:7 Md. R. 328)

Regulation .31 adopted effective March 27, 2017 (44:6 Md. R. 325)

Regulation .32D amended effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721); June 28, 2010 (37:13 Md. R. 852)

Regulation .32-1 adopted effective March 13, 2006 (33:5 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .32-2 adopted effective March 13, 2006 (33:5 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .32-3 adopted effective March 13, 2006 (33:5 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .33 adopted effective November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1721)

Regulation .33A amended effective March 2, 2015 (42:4 Md. R. 433)

Regulation .34 adopted effective April 21, 2008 (35:8 Md. R. 804)

Regulation .35 adopted effective April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 420)

Regulation .36 adopted effective April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 420)

Regulation .37 adopted effective April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 420)