Section 250.230  Planning

a)         Occupancy Control

1)         Every hospital shall develop occupancy control measures and participate in inter-hospital and community planning to meet medical and hospital needs.  Such planning shall include a continuing evaluation of the hospital's facilities and services to make effective use of existing hospital, nursing home and public health facilities and services, including community home care services, and of developing new and/or additional services.

2)         Every hospital shall enforce its occupancy control measures in an effort to avoid over utilization of its facilities and services. Hospitals experiencing a high level occupancy should, if other measures are inadequate, develop hospital expansion plans in conjunction with recognized health facility planning organizations within its area or region.  Expansion programs must also comply with Public Act 78-1156, the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, as administered by the Health Facilities Planning Board.  (Refer to Section 250.310 (a)(14))

b)         Admission – Discharge

            The hospital shall control its admission and discharge of patients so that occupancy does not at any time exceed capacity, except in the event of unusual emergency and then only as a temporary measure.

c)         Admission – Discharge Control Committee

1)         The hospital shall, if high-level occupancy is expected or being experienced on any of its services or nursing units, activate a standing committee which shall further scrutinize existing activities of utilization review, admission, discharge, elective surgery and assure that patient census will not exceed bed capacity.

2)         The Medical staff, Hospital administration and the Nursing service shall be represented on this committee.

(Source:  Amended at 5 Ill. Reg. 507, effective December 29, 1980)