(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW
70.127.080(1)(c), an in-home services agency that is certified by the federal medicare program, or accredited by the community health accreditation program, or the joint commission on accreditation of health care organizations as a home health or hospice agency is not subject to a state licensure survey if:
(a) The department determines that the applicable survey standards of the certification or accreditation program are substantially equivalent to those required by this chapter;
(b) An on-site survey has been conducted for the purposes of certification or accreditation during the previous twenty-four months; and
(c) The department receives directly from the certifying or accrediting entity or from the licensee applicant copies of the initial and subsequent survey reports and other relevant reports or findings that indicate compliance with licensure requirements.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW
70.127.080(1)(c), an in-home services agency providing services under contract with the department of social and health services or area agency on aging to provide home care services and that is monitored by the department of social and health services or area agency on aging is not subject to a state licensure survey by the department of health if:
(a) The department determines that the department of social and health services or an area agency on aging monitoring standards are substantially equivalent to those required by this chapter;
(b) An on-site monitoring has been conducted by the department of social and health services or an area agency on aging during the previous twenty-four months;
(c) The department of social and health services or an area agency on aging includes in its monitoring a sample of private pay clients, if applicable; and
(d) The department receives directly from the department of social and health services copies of monitoring reports and other relevant reports or findings that indicate compliance with licensure requirements.
(3) The department retains authority to survey those services areas not addressed by the national accrediting body, department of social and health services, or an area agency on aging.
(4) In reviewing the federal, the joint commission on accreditation of health care organizations, the community health accreditation program, or the department of social and health services survey standards for substantial equivalency to those set forth in this chapter, the department is directed to provide the most liberal interpretation consistent with the intent of this chapter. In the event the department determines at any time that the survey standards are not substantially equivalent to those required by this chapter, the department is directed to notify the affected licensees. The notification shall contain a detailed description of the deficiencies in the alternative survey process, as well as an explanation concerning the risk to the consumer. The determination of substantial equivalency for alternative survey process and lack of substantial equivalency are agency actions and subject to RCW
34.05.210 through
34.05.395 and
34.05.510 through
34.05.675.
(5) The department is authorized to perform a validation survey on in-home services agencies who previously received a survey through accreditation or contracts with the department of social and health services or an area agency on aging under subsection (2) of this section. The department is authorized to perform a validation survey on no greater than ten percent of each type of certification or accreditation survey.
(6) This section does not affect the department's enforcement authority for licensed agencies.
