Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 3, September 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
198B.260, 216B.010-216B.131,
216B.990,
218A.175,
218A.205,
311, 314,
29 C.F.R.
1910.1030(d)(2) (viii), 45
C.F.R. 160, 164,
21
U.S.C. 801 -
971,
42
U.S.C. 1320d-2
- 1320d-8
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
216B.042 and
216B.105
require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to promulgate administrative
regulations governing health facilities and health services. This
administrative regulation establishes the minimum licensure requirements for
the operation of a pain management clinic if the clinic's primary practice
component is the treatment of pain using controlled substances, and the clinic
is located off the campus of the hospital that has majority ownership
interest.
Section 1. Definitions.
(1) "Diagnostic services" means services that
are performed to ascertain and assess an individual's physical health
condition.
(2) "License" means an
authorization issued by the cabinet for the purpose of operating a
hospital-owned pain management clinic.
(3) "Unencumbered license" means a
prescriber's license that has not been restricted by the state professional
licensing board due to an administrative sanction or criminal conviction
relating to a controlled substance.
Section 2. Scope of Operations and Services.
A Kentucky-licensed hospital that is excluded from the definition of pain
management facility pursuant to
KRS
218A.175(1)(b) shall obtain
separate licensure under this administrative regulation for any outpatient
clinic owned and operated by the hospital if:
(1) The majority of the patients of the
practitioners at the clinic are provided treatment for pain that includes the
use of controlled substances; and
(2) The clinic is located
off-campus.
Section 3.
Administration Requirements.
(1)
Administration.
(a) A hospital that owns and
operates a pain management clinic shall be legally responsible for the clinic's
compliance with federal, state, and local laws and administrative regulations
pertaining to the operation of the facility, including the Drug Abuse
Prevention and Control Act (21
U.S.C. 801 to
971
et. seq.), KRS Chapter 218A, 902 KAR Chapter 20, and 902 KAR Chapter
55.
(b) A licensee shall establish
lines of authority and designate an administrator who shall be principally
responsible for the daily operation of the clinic.
(2) Policies. A clinic shall establish and
follow written administrative policies covering all aspects of operation,
including:
(a) A description of organizational
structure, staffing, and allocation of responsibility and
accountability;
(b) A description
of linkages with inpatient facilities and other providers;
(c) Policies and procedures for the guidance
and control of personnel performances;
(d) A written program narrative describing in
detail the:
1. Services offered:
2. Methods and protocols for service
delivery;
3. Qualifications of
personnel involved in the delivery of the services; and
4. Goals of the services;
(e) A description of the
administrative and patient care records and reports;
(f) Procedures to be followed if an
individual seeks or is in need of care and treatment that is beyond the scope
of services offered by clinic, which may include:
1. Advising the individual to seek services
elsewhere;
2. Making a referral on
behalf of the individual; or
3.
Contacting emergency medical services; and
(g) Procedures to be followed if the clinic
performs any functions related to the storage, handling, and administration of
drugs and biologicals.
(3) Patient care policies. The clinic's
medical director shall develop patient care policies in collaboration with a
group of the clinic's other professionals to address all medical aspects of the
clinic's program, including:
(a) A description
of the services the clinic provides directly and those provided through
agreement;
(b) Guidelines for the
medical management of health problems, which include the conditions requiring
medical consultation or patient referral;
(c) Guidelines for the maintenance of medical
records in accordance with subsection (6) of this section; and
(d) Procedures for review and evaluation of
the services provided by the clinic at least annually.
(4) Personnel.
(a) Medical director. A clinic's medical
director:
1. Shall meet the requirements of
Section 6(3) and (4) of this administrative regulation;
2. Shall provide direct services,
supervision, and consultation to the clinic's staff;
3. Shall participate with a group made up of
clinic professionals, including at least one (1) nurse, in the development of:
a. Execution and periodic review of the
clinic's written policies and services as described in subsection (3) of this
section; and
b. Written program
narrative describing in detail:
(i) Each
service offered;
(ii) Methods and
protocols for service delivery;
(iii) Qualifications of personnel involved in
the delivery of the services; and
(iv) Goals of each service;
4. Shall periodically
review the clinic's patient records, provide medical orders, and provide
medical care services to patients of the clinic; and
5. May serve as both the clinic's
administrator and medical director.
(b) The clinic shall:
1. Employ, directly or by contract, a
sufficient number of qualified personnel (e.g., physicians, nurses, therapists,
or technicians) to provide effective patient care and all other related
services; and
2. Maintain written
personnel policies that are made available to all employees.
(c) There shall be a written job
description for each position that shall be reviewed and revised as
necessary.
(d) Current personnel
records shall be maintained for each employee and include the following:
1. Name, address, and Social Security
number;
2. Evidence of current
registration, certification, or licensure of personnel;
3. Records of training and experience;
and
4. Records of performance
evaluation.
(5)
In-service training. All personnel shall participate in annual in-service
training programs relating to their respective job activities, including
thorough job orientation for new employees.
(6) Medical records.
(a) The clinic shall maintain accurate,
readily accessible, and complete medical records, which contain at least the
following:
1. Medical or social history
relevant to the services provided, including data obtainable from other
providers;
2. Name of the patient,
referring practitioner, if any, and practitioner's orders for special
diagnostic services;
3. Date and
description of each medical visit or contact, to include condition or reason
necessitating visit or contact, assessment, diagnosis, services provided, names
of personnel who provided the services, medications and treatments prescribed,
and disposition made;
4. Reports of
all physical examinations and laboratory and other test findings relevant to
the services provided; and
5.
Documentation of all referrals made, including reason for referral, to whom
patient was referred, and any information obtained from referral
source.
(b) Medical
records shall be the property of the clinic.
(c) The original medical record shall not be
removed from the clinic except in compliance with a court order or
subpoena.
(d) Copies of a medical
record or portions of the record may be used and disclosed, in accordance with
this administrative regulation.
(e)
Confidentiality/Security; Use and Disclosure.
1. The clinic shall maintain the
confidentiality and security of medical records in compliance with the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),
42
U.S.C. 1320d-2
to 1320d-8, and 45
C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, as amended, including the security requirements
mandated by subparts A and C of 45 C.F.R. Part 164 , or as provided by
applicable federal or state law.
2.
The clinic may use and disclose medical records. Use and disclosure shall be as
established or required by HIPAA,
42
U.S.C. 1320d-2
to 1320d-8, and 45
C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, or as established in this administrative
regulation.
3. This administrative
regulation shall not be construed to forbid the clinic from establishing higher
levels of confidentiality and security than required by HIPAA,
42
U.S.C. 1320d-2
to 1320d-8, and 45
C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164.
(f) Transfer of records. The clinic shall:
1. Establish systematic procedures to assist
in continuity of care if the patient moves to another source of care;
and
2. Upon proper release,
transfer medical records or an abstract if requested.
(g) Retention of records. After the patient's
death or discharge, the complete medical record shall be placed in an inactive
file and retained for:
1. Six (6) years;
or
2. If a minor, three (3) years
after the patient reaches the age of majority under state law, whichever is
longer.
(h) The clinic
shall:
1. Make provisions for the written
designation of a specific location for the storage of medical records if the
clinic ceases to operate because of disaster or for any other reason;
and
2. Safeguard the record and its
content against loss, defacement, and tampering.
(7) Kentucky Health Information Exchange
(KHIE).
(a) A clinic shall participate in the
KHIE pursuant to the requirements of
900 KAR
9:010.
(b)
If a clinic has not implemented a certified electronic health record, the
clinic may meet the requirement of paragraph (a) of this subsection by
participating in the direct secure messaging service provided by
KHIE.
(8) Quality
assurance program.
(a) Each clinic shall have
an ongoing quality assurance program that:
1.
Monitors and evaluates the quality and appropriateness of patient
care;
2. Evaluates methods to
improve patient care;
3. Identifies
and corrects deficiencies within the clinic;
4. Alerts the designated physician or
prescribing practitioner to identify and resolve recurring problems;
and
5. Provides for opportunities
to improve the clinic's performance and to enhance and improve the quality of
care provided to patients.
(b) The medical director shall ensure that
the quality assurance program includes the following components:
1. The identification, investigation, and
analysis of the frequency and causes of adverse incidents to
patients;
2. The identification of
trends or patterns of incidents;
3.
The development and implementation of measures to correct, reduce, minimize, or
eliminate the risk of adverse incidents to patients; and
4. The documentation of these functions and
periodic review no less than quarterly of this information by the designated
physician or prescribing practitioner.
Section 4. Provision of Services.
(1) Equipment used for direct patient care by
a clinic shall comply with the following:
(a)
The licensee shall establish and follow a written preventive maintenance
program to ensure that equipment shall be operative and properly
calibrated;
(b) All personnel
engaged in the operation of equipment shall have adequate training and be
currently licensed, registered, or certified in accordance with applicable
state statutes and administrative regulations; and
(c) There shall be a written training plan
for the adequate training of personnel in the safe and proper usage of the
equipment.
(2) Diagnostic
services shall be performed in accordance with the clinic's protocol.
(3) Diagnostic services shall be provided
under the supervision of a physician who is qualified by advanced training and
experience in the use of the specific technique utilized for diagnostic
purposes.
(4) Physical examination
services shall be nonabusive and provided in a manner that ensures the greatest
amount of safety and security for the patient.
(5) Personnel performing a physical
examination shall:
(a) Have adequate training
and be currently licensed, registered, or certified in accordance with
applicable Kentucky statutes and administrative regulations; and
(b) Be limited by the relevant scope of
practice of state licensure.
(6) At least one (1) physician and one (1)
advanced practice registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or registered
nurse shall be on duty in the clinic during all hours the facility is
operational.
Section 5.
Physical environment.
(1) Accessibility. The
clinic shall meet requirements for making buildings and facilities accessible
to and usable by persons with a disability pursuant to
KRS
198B.260 and administrative regulations
promulgated thereunder.
(2) Fire
safety. An initial license to operate a clinic or a new license to operate a
clinic upon approval of a change of location shall not be issued before the
clinic obtains approval from the State Fire Marshal's office.
(3) Housekeeping and maintenance services.
(a) Housekeeping.
1. The clinic shall maintain a clean and safe
facility free of unpleasant odors.
2. Odors shall be eliminated at their source
by prompt and thorough cleaning of commodes, urinals, bedpans, and other
sources.
(b) Maintenance.
The premises shall be well kept and in good repair. Requirements shall include:
1. The clinic shall ensure that the grounds
are well kept and the exterior of the building, including the sidewalks, steps,
porches, ramps, and fences, is in good repair;
2. The interior of the building including
walls, ceilings, floors, windows, window coverings, doors, plumbing, and
electrical fixtures shall be in good repair. Windows and doors that can be
opened for ventilation shall be screened;
3. Garbage and trash shall be stored in areas
separate from those used for the preparation and storage of food and shall be
removed from the premises regularly. Containers shall be cleaned regularly;
and
4. A pest control program shall
be in operation in the clinic. Pest control services shall be provided by
maintenance personnel of the facility or by contract with a pest control
company. The compounds shall be stored under lock.
(4) The clinic shall develop
written infection control policies that are consistent with Centers for Disease
Control guidelines and include the:
(a)
Prevention of disease transmission to and from patients, visitors, and
employees, including:
1. Universal blood and
body fluid precautions;
2.
Precautions against airborne transmittal of infections;
3. Work restrictions for employees with
infectious diseases; and
4.
Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization methods used for equipment and the
environment; and
(b)
Provision of in-service education programs annually on the cause, effect,
transmission, prevention, and elimination of infections.
(5) Hazardous cleaning solutions, compounds,
and substances shall be:
(a)
Labeled;
(b) Stored in closed metal
containers;
(c) Kept separate from
other cleaning materials; and
(d)
Kept in a locked storage area apart from the exam room.
(6) The facility shall be kept free from
insects and rodents and their nesting places.
(7) Garbage and trash:
(a) Shall be removed from the premises
regularly; and
(b) Containers shall
be cleaned daily.
(8) A
clinic shall establish and maintain a written policy for the handling and
disposal of wastes, including any infectious, pathological, or contaminated
wastes, which shall include the requirements established in this subsection.
(a) Sharp wastes, including broken glass,
scalpel blades, and hypodermic needles, shall be segregated from other wastes
and placed in puncture-resistant containers immediately after use.
(b) A needle or other contaminated sharp
waste shall not be recapped, purposely bent, broken, or otherwise manipulated
by hand as a means of disposal except as permitted by the Centers for Disease
Control and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines at
29 C.F.R.
1910.1030(d)(2)(vii).
(c) A sharp waste container shall be
incinerated on or off-site or rendered nonhazardous.
(d) Any nondisposable sharp waste shall be
placed in a hard walled container for transport to a processing area for
decontamination.
(9)
(a) Disposable waste shall be:
1. Placed in a suitable bag or closed
container so as to prevent leakage or spillage; and
2. Handled, stored, and disposed of in a way
that minimizes direct exposure of personnel or patients to waste
materials.
(b) The clinic
shall establish specific written policies regarding handling and disposal of
waste material.
(10) A
licensee owned or operated incinerator used for the disposal of waste shall be
in compliance with all applicable Kentucky statutes and administrative
regulations.
Section 6.
Standards for prescribing and dispensing controlled substances.
(1) All licensed prescribers of a clinic
authorized to prescribe or dispense controlled substances shall comply with the
professional standards relating to the prescribing and dispensing of controlled
substances established by their professional licensing boards, including
201
KAR 9:260 and
201
KAR 20:057.
(2) A representative from the Office of
Inspector General shall review the clinic's records, including the clinic's
patient records, to verify facility compliance with administrative regulations
promulgated by professional licensing boards pursuant to
KRS
218A.205 that establish standards for
licensees authorized to prescribe or dispense controlled substances.
(3) A clinic shall not contract with or
employ a physician or prescribing practitioner:
(a) Whose Drug Enforcement Administration
number has ever been revoked;
(b)
Whose application for a license to prescribe, dispense, or administer a
controlled substance has been denied by any jurisdiction;
(c) Who has had any disciplinary limitation
placed on his or her license by:
1. The
Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure;
2. The Kentucky Board of Nursing;
3. The Kentucky Board of Dentistry;
4. The Kentucky Board of Optometric
Examiners;
5. The State Board of
Podiatry;
6. Any other board that
licenses or regulates a person who is entitled to prescribe or dispense
controlled substances to humans; or
7. A licensing board of another state if the
disciplinary action resulted from illegal or improper prescribing or dispensing
of controlled substances; or
(d) Who has been convicted of or pleaded
guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, an offense that
constitutes a felony for receipt of illicit and diverted drugs, including a
controlled substance listed as Schedule I, Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule
IV, or Schedule V in this state or the United States.
(4) The clinic's medical director shall:
(a) Be board certified and have a full,
active, and unencumbered license to practice medicine in the commonwealth
issued under KRS Chapter 311;
(b)
Be physically present practicing medicine in the clinic for at least fifty (50)
percent of the time that patients are present in the clinic;
(c) Within ten (10) days after the clinic
hires a prescriber of controlled substances or ten (10) days after termination
of a prescriber of controlled substances, notify the cabinet in writing and
report the name of the prescriber; and
(d) Meet one (1) of the following:
1. Hold a current subspecialty certification
in pain management by a member board of the American Board of Medical
Specialties, or hold a current certificate of added qualification in pain
management by the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic
Specialists;
2. Hold a current
subspecialty certification in hospice and palliative medicine by a member board
of the American Board of Medical Specialties or hold a current certificate of
added qualification in hospice and palliative medicine by the American
Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists;
3. Hold a current board certification by the
American Board of Pain Medicine;
4.
Hold a current board certification by the American Board of Interventional Pain
Physicians; or
5. Have completed a
fellowship in pain management or an accredited residency program that included
a rotation of at least five (5) months in pain management.
(5) The clinic shall, within ten
(10) calendar days after termination of the medical director, notify the
cabinet of the identity of the individual designated as medical director,
including the identity of any interim medical director until a permanent
director is secured for the clinic.
(6) Each licensed physician who prescribes or
dispenses a controlled substance to a patient in the clinic as part of his or
her employment agreement with the clinic shall successfully complete a minimum
of ten (10) hours of Category I continuing medical education in pain management
during each registration period throughout his or her employment agreement with
the clinic.
Section 7.
Denial and Revocation.
(1) The cabinet shall
deny a clinic's application, incorporated by reference in
902 KAR
20:008, Section 9(1)(e), if:
(a) The clinic has been discontinued from
participation in the Medicaid Program due to fraud or abuse of the
program;
(b) An administrative
sanction or criminal conviction relating to controlled substances has been
imposed on the clinic or any individual under contract or employed directly by
the clinic for an act or omission done within the scope of the clinic's license
or the individual's employment; or
(c) The applicant fails, after the initial
inspection, to submit an acceptable plan of correction or fails to submit an
acceptable amended plan of correction within the timeframes required by
902 KAR
20:008, Section 2(13).
(2) If, during the initial inspection of the
clinic, the cabinet has probable cause to believe that a physician or other
prescriber practicing at the facility may be engaged in the improper,
inappropriate, or illegal prescribing or dispensing of a controlled substance,
the cabinet shall:
(a) Refer the physician or
other prescriber practicing at the clinic to the appropriate professional
licensing board and appropriate law enforcement agency; and
(b) Withhold issuing a license to the clinic
pending resolution of any investigation into the matter by a licensing board or
law enforcement agency, and resolution of the appeals process, if
applicable.
(3) The
cabinet shall revoke a clinic's license if it finds that:
(a) In accordance with
KRS
216B.105(2), there has been
a substantial failure by the clinic to comply with the provisions of this
administrative regulation;
(b) An
administrative sanction or criminal conviction relating to controlled
substances is imposed on the clinic or any individual employed by the clinic
for an act or omission done within the scope of the clinic's license or the
individual's employment;
(c) The
clinic fails to submit an acceptable plan of correction or fails to submit an
acceptable amended plan of correction within the timeframes required by
902 KAR
20:008, Section 2(13); or
(d) The clinic is terminated from
participation in the Medicaid program pursuant to
907
KAR 1:671.
(4)
(a) The
denial or revocation of a clinic's license shall be mailed to the applicant or
licensee by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by personal
service.
(b) Notice of the denial
or revocation shall set forth the particular reasons for the
action.
(5) The denial or
revocation shall become final and conclusive thirty (30) days after notice is
given unless the applicant or licensee, within the thirty (30) day period,
files a request in writing for a hearing with the cabinet.
(6) Urgent action to suspend a license.
(a) The cabinet shall take urgent action to
suspend a clinic's license if the cabinet has probable cause to believe that:
1. The continued operation of the clinic
would constitute a danger to the health, welfare, or safety of the facility's
patients; or
2. A physician or
other prescriber practicing at the clinic may be engaged in the improper or
inappropriate prescribing or dispensing of a controlled substance.
(b)
1. The clinic shall be served with notice of
the hearing on the urgent suspension to be held no sooner than twenty (20) days
from the delivery of the notice.
2.
Notice of the urgent suspension shall set forth the particular reasons for the
action.
(c) If the
cabinet issues an urgent suspension of the clinic's license pursuant to
paragraph (a)2. of this subsection, the cabinet shall refer the physician or
other prescriber practicing at the clinic to the appropriate professional
licensing board and appropriate law enforcement agency.
(7) Notice of a hearing on an urgent
suspension shall be served on the clinic by certified mail, return receipt
requested, or by personal service.
(8)
(a)
Within five (5) working days of completion of the hearing, the cabinet's
hearing officer shall render a written decision affirming, modifying, or
revoking the urgent suspension.
(b)
The urgent suspension shall be affirmed if there is substantial evidence of an
immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare.
(9) The decision rendered under subsection
(8) of this section shall be a final order of the agency on the matter, and any
party aggrieved by the decision may appeal to circuit court.
(10) If the cabinet issues an urgent
suspension, the cabinet shall take action to revoke the clinic's license
pursuant to subsection (3) of this section if:
(a) The clinic fails to attend the expedited
hearing;
(b) The decision rendered
under subsection (8) of this section affirms that there is substantial evidence
of an immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare; or
(c) Referral to a professional licensing
board and law enforcement agency in accordance with subsection (6)(c) of this
section results in an administrative sanction or criminal conviction relating
to controlled substances against a physician or prescribing practitioner
employed by, or under contract with, the clinic.
(11) Pursuant to
KRS
216B.050, the cabinet may compel obedience to
its lawful orders.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
13A.100,
216B.042,
216B.105