The Certificate of Need and Healthcare Facility Licensure Program of the Division of Health Facilities Evaluation and Licensing in the Senior Services and Health Systems Branch of the Department of Health and Senior Services (Department) is proposing new rules at N.J.A.C. 8:43G-17A, governing Mandatory Staff Level Posting and Reporting Standards.  The Department is also proposing amendments to the definitions established at N.J.A.C. 8:43G-1.2.  The notice of proposal appears in the April 16, 2007 issue of the New Jersey Register.

N.J.A.C. 8:43G-17A would implement P.L. 2005 c. 21, §§ 1, 2, and 3 approved on January 24, 2005, and codified at N.J.S.A. 26:2H-5f, 5g and 5h, which require the Department to promulgate rules to establish standards for licensed general hospitals and nursing homes to publicly disclose direct care staffing levels and to report staffing level information to the Department.  The proposed new rules would fulfill this statutory requirement for licensed general hospitals.  The Department anticipates future rulemaking to fulfill the statutory requirement for licensed nursing homes.

       In particular, the proposed new rules would establish the framework for licensed general hospitals to collect and post daily information about direct care staffing levels for the inpatient unit, emergency department, post-anesthesia care unit and other licensed health care professionals that work hospital-wide.  The proposed rules would also set forth the posting locations, method for reporting aggregated data to the Department, and the methods of obtaining the quarterly report that the Department would issue.  In addition, the Department is proposing to publish Appendices A through D to incorporate by reference as part of N.J.A.C. 8:43G-17A, the staff posting forms, which hospitals would be required to complete and post on a daily basis.  The Department also proposes amendments at N.J.A.C. 8:43G-1.2 to add new definitions in connection with the proposed new rules.

          The public has until June 15, 2007 to comment on the notice of proposal.  Persons wishing to comment on the proposal must submit their comments in writing to John A. Calabria, Director, Certificate of Need and Healthcare Facility Licensure Program, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, PO Box 358, Trenton, NJ 08625-0358.  Written comments on the proposal must be postmarked on or before June 15, 2007, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period.

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