Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) A
branch office operates as a part of the parent agency and must comply with the
same regulations as the parent agency. The parent agency is responsible for
ensuring that its branches comply with licensing standards.
(b) A branch office providing licensed and
certified home health services must comply with the standards for certified
agencies in § 558.402 of this chapter (relating to Standards Specific to
Licensed and Certified Home Health Services).
(c) The service area of a branch office must
be located within the parent agency's service area.
(1) A branch office must not provide services
outside its licensed service area.
(2) A branch office must maintain adequate
staff to provide services and to supervise the provision of services within the
service area.
(3) A branch office
may expand its service area at any time during the licensure period.
(A) Unless exempted under subparagraph (B) of
the paragraph, a branch office must submit to HHSC a written notice to expand
its service area at least 30 days before the expansion. The notice must
include:
(i) revised boundaries of the branch
office's original service area;
(ii) the effective date of the expansion;
and
(iii) an updated list of
management and supervisory personnel (including names), if changes are
made.
(B) An agency is
exempt from the 30-day written notice requirement under subparagraph (A) of
this paragraph if HHSC determines an emergency exists that would impact client
health and safety. An agency must notify HHSC immediately of a possible
emergency. HHSC determines if an exemption can be granted.
(4) A branch office may reduce its service
area at any time during the licensure period by sending HHSC written
notification of the reduction, revised boundaries of the branch office's
original service area, and the effective date of the reduction.
(d) A parent agency and a branch
office providing home health or personal assistance services must meet the
following requirements:
(1) The parent agency
administrator or alternate administrator, or supervising nurse or alternate
supervising nurse, must conduct an on-site supervisory visit to the branch
office at least monthly. The parent agency may visit the branch office more
frequently considering the size of the service area and the scope of services
provided by the parent agency. The supervisory visits must be documented and
include the date of the visit, the content of the consultation, the individuals
in attendance, and the recommendations of the staff.
(2) The original active clinical record must
be kept at the branch office.
(3)
The parent agency must approve all branch office policies and procedures. This
approval must be documented and filed in the parent and branch
offices.
(e) HHSC issues
or renews a branch office license for applicants who meet the requirements of
this section.
(1) Issuance or renewal of a
branch office license is contingent upon compliance with the Statute and this
chapter by the parent agency and branch office.
(2) HHSC may take enforcement action against
a parent agency license for a branch office's failure to comply with the
Statute or this chapter in accordance with Subchapter F of this chapter
(relating to Enforcement).
(3)
Revocation, suspension, denial, or surrender of a parent agency license will
result in the same revocation, suspension, denial, or surrender of a branch
office license for all branch office licenses of the parent agency.
(f) A branch office may offer
fewer health services or categories than the parent office but may not offer
health services or categories that are not also offered by the parent
agency.
