Washington § 70.56.010 - Definitions.

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Adverse health event" or "adverse event" means the list of serious reportable events adopted by the national quality forum in 2002, in its consensus report on serious reportable events in health care. The department shall update the list, through adoption of rules, as subsequent changes are made by the national quality forum. The term does not include an incident.

(2) "Ambulatory surgical facility" means a facility licensed under chapter 70.230 RCW.

(3) "Childbirth center" means a facility licensed under chapter 18.46 RCW.

(4) "Correctional medical facility" means a part or unit of a correctional facility operated by the department of corrections under chapter 72.10 RCW that provides medical services for lengths of stay in excess of twenty-four hours to offenders.

(5) "Department" means the department of health.

(6) "Health care worker" means an employee, independent contractor, licensee, or other individual who is directly involved in the delivery of health services in a medical facility.

(7) "Hospital" means a facility licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW.

(8) "Incident" means an event, occurrence, or situation involving the clinical care of a patient in a medical facility that:

(a) Results in unanticipated injury to a patient that is not related to the natural course of the patient's illness or underlying condition and does not constitute an adverse event; or

(b) Could have injured the patient but did not either cause an unanticipated injury or require the delivery of additional health care services to the patient.

"Incident" does not include an adverse event.

(9) "Independent entity" means that entity that the department of health contracts with under RCW 70.56.040 to receive notifications and reports of adverse events and incidents, and carry out the activities specified in RCW 70.56.040.

(10) "Medical facility" means a childbirth center, hospital, *psychiatric hospital, or correctional medical facility. An ambulatory surgical facility shall be considered a medical facility for purposes of this chapter upon the effective date of any requirement for state registration or licensure of ambulatory surgical facilities.

(11) "*Psychiatric hospital" means a hospital facility licensed as a *psychiatric hospital under chapter 71.12 RCW.

*Reviser's note: The term "psychiatric hospital" was changed to "behavioral health hospital" by 2024 c 121 s 19.

Effective date—Implementation—2007 c 273: See RCW 70.230.900 and 70.230.901.