Florida § 383.309 - Minimum standards for birth centers and advanced birth centers; rules and enforcement.

§ 383.309. Minimum standards for birth centers and advanced birth centers; rules and enforcement.

(1) The agency shall adopt and enforce rules to administer ss. 383.30-383.332 and part II of chapter 408, which rules shall include, but are not limited to, reasonable and fair minimum standards for ensuring that: (a) Sufficient numbers and qualified types of personnel and occupational disciplines are available at all times to provide necessary and adequate patient care and safety. (b) Infection control, housekeeping, sanitary conditions, disaster plan, and medical record procedures that will adequately protect patient care and provide safety are established and implemented. (c) Licensed facilities are established, organized, and operated consistent with established programmatic standards. (2) The standards adopted by rule for designating a birth center as an advanced birth center must, at a minimum, be equivalent to the minimum standards adopted for ambulatory surgical centers pursuant to s. 395.1055 and must include standards for quality of care, blood transfusions, and sanitary conditions for food handling and food service. (3) The agency may not establish any rule governing the design, construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair, or demolition of birth centers. It is the intent of the Legislature to preempt that function to the Florida Building Commission and the State Fire Marshal through adoption and maintenance of the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code. However, the agency shall provide technical assistance to the commission and the State Fire Marshal in updating the construction standards of the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code which govern birth centers. In addition, the agency may enforce the special-occupancy provisions of the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code which apply to birth centers in conducting any inspection authorized under this chapter or part II of chapter 408.