For the purposes of this chapter and chapter 70.38 RCW, the words and phrases below will have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) "Concurrent review" means the process by which applications competing to provide services in the same planning area are reviewed simultaneously by the department. The department compares the applications to one another and these rules.

(2) "Elective" means a PCI performed on a patient with cardiac function that has been stable in the days or weeks prior to the operation. Elective cases are usually scheduled at least one day prior to the surgical procedure.

(3) "Emergent" means a patient needs immediate PCI because, in the treating physician's best clinical judgment, delay would result in undue harm or risk to the patient.

(4) "Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI)" means invasive but nonsurgical mechanical procedures and devices that are used by cardiologists for the revascularization of obstructed coronary arteries. These interventions include, but are not limited to:

(a) Bare and drug-eluting stent implantation;

(b) Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA);

(c) Cutting balloon atherectomy;

(d) Rotational atherectomy;

(e) Directional atherectomy;

(f) Excimer laser angioplasty;

(g) Extractional thrombectomy.

(5) "PCI planning area" means an individual geographic area designated by the department for which adult elective PCI program need projections are calculated. For purposes of adult elective PCI projections, planning area and service area have the same meaning. The following table establishes PCI planning areas for Washington state: