WAC 246-310-110   Categories of review.  (1) In the review of any certificate of need application, one of the following review processes shall be used: Regular review, concurrent review, emergency review, or expedited review.

     (2) Determination of review process.

     The department shall determine which review process will be used in the review of a given certificate of need application.

     (a) Emergency review.

     (i) An emergency review may, with the written consent of the appropriate advisory review agencies, be conducted when an immediate capital expenditure is required in order for a health care facility to maintain or restore basic and essential patient services.

     (ii) The department may determine an application submitted for emergency review does not qualify for such review. Such a determination and notification to the applicant shall be made within five days after receipt of the application. When the department makes a determination that an application is not subject to emergency review procedures, the application will be reviewed under another review process appropriate for the type of undertaking proposed. The department will notify the applicant of the other process under which the application will be reviewed.

     (b) Expedited review.

     An expedited review shall be conducted on a certificate of need application for the following:

     (i) Projects proposed for the correction of deficiencies as described in WAC 246-310-480, except projects for the repair to or correction of deficiencies in the physical plant necessary to maintain state licensure, which are exempt from review by the provisions of WAC 246-310-020, if they do not substantially affect patient charges.

     (ii) Demonstration or research projects: Provided, That such projects do not involve a change in bed capacity or the provision of a new tertiary health service.

     (iii) Acquisition of an existing health care facility.

     (iv) Projects limited to predevelopment expenditures.

     (c) Regular review process.

     The regular review process shall be used for any application unless the department has determined the emergency, expedited, or concurrent review process will be used in the review of such application. The regular review process will also be used to review applications for projects solely for the purposes listed in WAC 246-310-020 determined by the department to substantially affect patient charges, unless the project qualifies for an expedited review under subsection (2)(a)(i) of this section.

     (d) Concurrent review process.

     The concurrent review process shall be used for all applications determined to be competing in accordance with WAC 246-310-120.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.38 RCW. 96-24-052, § 246-310-110, filed 11/27/96, effective 12/28/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.38.135 and 70.38.919. 92-02-018 (Order 224), § 246-310-110, filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-310-110, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.38.135. 86-06-030 (Order 2344), § 248-19-300, filed 2/28/86; 81-09-012 (Order 210), § 248-19-300, filed 4/9/81, effective 5/20/81. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.38 RCW. 79-12-079 (Order 188), § 248-19-300, filed 11/30/79.]