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

(1) "Ambulatory surgical facility" means any distinct entity that operates for the primary purpose of providing specialty or multispecialty outpatient surgical services in which patients are admitted to and discharged from the facility within 24 hours and do not require inpatient hospitalization, whether or not the facility is certified under Title XVIII of the federal social security act. An ambulatory surgical facility includes one or more surgical suites that are adjacent to and within the same building as, but not in, the office of a practitioner in an individual or group practice, if the primary purpose of the one or more surgical suites is to provide specialty or multispecialty outpatient surgical services, irrespective of the type of anesthesia administered in the one or more surgical suites. An ambulatory surgical facility that is adjacent to and within the same building as the office of a practitioner in an individual or group practice may include a surgical suite that shares a reception area, restroom, waiting room, or wall with the office of the practitioner in an individual or group practice.

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

(3) "General anesthesia" means a state of unconsciousness intentionally produced by anesthetic agents, with absence of pain sensation over the entire body, in which the patient is without protective reflexes and is unable to maintain an airway.

(4) "Immediate jeopardy" means a situation in which the ambulatory surgical facility's noncompliance with one or more statutory or regulatory requirements has placed the health and safety of patients in its care at risk for serious injury, serious harm, serious impairment, or death.

(5) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, and the legal successor thereof.

(6) "Practitioner" means any physician or surgeon licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW, an osteopathic physician or surgeon licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW, or a podiatric physician or surgeon licensed under chapter 18.22 RCW.

(7) "Secretary" means the secretary of health.

(8) "Surgical services" means invasive medical procedures that:

(a) Utilize a knife, laser, cautery, cryogenics, or chemicals; and

(b) Remove, correct, or facilitate the diagnosis or cure of a disease, process, or injury through that branch of medicine that treats diseases, injuries, and deformities by manual or operative methods by a practitioner.

Effective date—2011 c 76: "This act takes effect January 1, 2012." [ 2011 c 76 s 4.]