- (1) The department shall use the following rules, in addition to those under WAC 246-310-380 to interpret the certificate of need review criteria contained in WAC 246-310-210, 246-310-220, 246-310-230, and 246-310-240 for applications by hospitals proposing an increase in the number of designated swing beds.
- (2) Swing beds are defined as up to the first five hospital beds, so designated by an eligible rural hospital, which are available to provide either acute care or long-term care nursing services as required.
(3) Hospitals proposing swing bed projects shall:
- (a) Be located in geographic areas of the state defined by the United States Bureau of the Census as a nonstandardized metropolitan statistical area; and
- (b) Have total licensed bed capacity not exceeding one hundred.
- (4) Hospitals shall demonstrate ability to meet minimum medicare standards of care for rural hospital swing beds.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.38 RCW. WSR 96-24-052, § 246-310-410, filed 11/27/96, effective 12/28/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.38.135 and 70.38.919. WSR 92-02-018 (Order 224), § 246-310-410, filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. WSR 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-310-410, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.38.919. WSR 90-12-072 (Order 063), § 248-19-860, filed 6/1/90, effective 7/1/90.]