Section 518.1100  Freestanding Emergency Center Licensure

a)         The Department will license freestanding emergency centers pursuant to the Act and this Part.

b)         A freestanding emergency center shall meet the following requirements:

1)         has received a permit from the Health Facilities and Services Review Board to establish a Freestanding Emergency Center by January 1, 2015;

2)         is located:

A)        in a municipality with a population of 50,000 or fewer inhabitants;

B)        within 50 miles of the hospital that owns or controls the freestanding emergency center; and

C)        within 50 miles of the Resource Hospital affiliated with the freestanding emergency center as part of the EMS system; 

3)         is wholly owned or controlled by an Associate or Resource Hospital, but is not a part of the hospital's physical plant;

4)         meets the standards for licensed FECs, adopted in this Part, including, but not limited to:

A)        facility design, specification, operation, and maintenance standards;

B)        equipment standards; and

C)        the number and qualifications of emergency medical personnel and other staff, which must include at least one board certified emergency physician present at the FEC 24 hours per day;

5)         limits its participation in the EMS System strictly to receiving a limited number of patients by ambulance:

A)        According to the FEC's 24-hour capabilities;

B)        According to protocols developed by the Resource Hospital within the FEC's designated EMS System; and

C)        As pre-approved by both the EMS Medical Director and the Department;

6)         provides comprehensive emergency treatment services, as defined in Hospital Licensing Requirements, 24 hours per day, on an outpatient basis;

7)         provides an ambulance and maintains on site ambulance services staffed with paramedics 24 hours per day;

8)         complies with all State and federal patient rights provisions, including, but not limited to, the Emergency Medical Treatment Act and the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act;

9)         maintains a communications system that is fully integrated with its Resource Hospital within the FEC's designated EMS System;

10)         reports to the Department any patient transfers from the FEC to a hospital within 48 hours after the transfer plus any other data determined to be relevant by the Department;

11)         submits to the Department, on a quarterly basis, the FEC's morbidity and mortality rates for patients treated at the FEC and other data determined to be relevant by the Department;

12)         does not describe itself or hold itself out to the general public as a full service hospital or hospital emergency department in its advertising or marketing activities;

13)         complies with any other rules adopted by the Department under the Act that relate to FECs;

14)         passes the Department's site inspection for compliance with the FEC requirements of the Act;

15)         submits a copy of the permit issued by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board indicating that the facility has complied with the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act with respect to the health services to be provided at the facility;

16)         submits an application for designation as an FEC in a manner and form prescribed by the Department in this Part; and

17)         pays the annual license fee as determined by the Department. (Section 32.5(a) of the Act)

(Source:  Amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 7701, effective April 10, 2018)