Rule 111-8-40-.36 - Dialysis Services(1) If the hospital provides acute inpatient dialysis services or outpatient services either directly or through contract arrangements, the scope and organization of those services shall be defined.(2)Organization and Administration of Renal Dialysis Services. The hospital shall have an organizational plan for dialysis services which clearly defines lines of authority, responsibility, and accountability and which includes provision for adequate staffing to provide dialysis care according to generally accepted standards of practice. (a)Medical Director. The medical director for dialysis services shall be a physician member of the medical staff qualified to provide oversight to the specialized care required for dialysis patients and the medical director shall have at least one-year's experience in care for patients with end stage renal disease.(b)Nursing Services. A registered nurse with demonstrated clinical competencies in providing dialysis services for patients shall be available during all dialysis treatments. Nursing staff and dialysis care technicians providing dialysis services shall have evidence of education, training, and demonstrated competencies in the provision of appropriate dialysis services and emergency care of patients receiving dialysis.(c)Policies and Procedures for Dialysis Services. Where the hospital provides dialysis services directly to its patients, the hospital shall develop and implement policies and procedures that address the special needs of dialysis patients and shall include at least the following: 1. Maintenance of dialysis equipment;2. Water treatment system safety;4. Reuse of dialyzers and dialysis supplies, if applicable, and5. Care of dialysis patients experiencing common complications of dialysis treatments.(d)Contracted Services. Where the hospital provides dialysis services through a contract arrangement, the hospital must contract with a Georgia-licensed End Stage Renal Disease Facility. The contract must outline what specific services shall be provided and include who will be responsible for the maintenance of the dialysis equipment, the water treatment safety system, infection control, reuse of dialyzers and supplies, if applicable, the clinical qualification of staff to be provided, and the clinical supervision that will be provided to dialysis patients during the administration of dialysis treatments.(3)Appropriate Treatment. The hospital shall provide dialysis services in accordance with accepted standards of care for the persons requiring dialysis services.(4)Quality Improvement. The hospital shall ensure that problems identified during the on-going monitoring of the dialysis services are addressed in the hospital quality improvement program. Contracted services must participate in the hospital quality improvement program.(5)Outpatient Chronic Dialysis Services. A hospital choosing to provide outpatient dialysis services directly as an integral part of the hospital to persons with end stage renal disease on a regularly recurring basis must meet the rules set forth in the Rules and Regulations for End Stage Renal Disease Facilities, Chapter 111-8-22, which are herein incorporated by reference, except for .03, .04, and .19.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-8-40-.36
O.C.G.A. § 31-7-2.1.
Original Rule entitled "Dialysis Services" adopted. F. Feb. 20, 2013; eff. Mar. 12, 2013.