The purpose of this section is to provide organizational guidance and oversight and to ensure resources and staff to support safe and adequate patient care.
(1) The birth center must have a governing body.
(2) The governing body must be responsible for providing personnel, facilities, equipment, supplies, and special services to meet the needs of the patients.
(3) The governing body must adopt policies for the care of patients within or on the premises of the birth center. Policies must be reviewed, at minimum, annually.
(4) The governing body must appoint an administrator or director responsible for implementing the policies adopted by the governing body.
(5) The governing body must establish and maintain a current written organizational plan which includes all positions and delineates responsibilities, authority, and relationship of positions within the birth center.
(6) The governing body must have the authority and responsibility for appointments and reappointments of clinical staff, approval of written contracts and appointment of contractors, approval of clinical bylaws and to ensure that only members of the clinical staff admit clients to the birth center.
(a) Each birth center must utilize consultation and appropriate clinical services as defined in WAC 246-329-095(2).
(b) Each physician and midwife, including contractors, appointed to the clinical staff must provide evidence of current licensure in the state of Washington.
(c) Members of the clinical staff must develop and adopt bylaws, policies, and procedures subject to the approval of the governing body including requirements for clinical staff membership; delineation of clinical privileges and the organization of clinical staff.
(7) The governing body must adopt policies for the delegation of responsibilities to staff including which responsibilities can and cannot be delegated and which staff are and are not appropriate for specific responsibilities.
(8) The governing body must be responsible for assuring a quality improvement program is implemented according to WAC 246-329-180.
(9) The governing body must be responsible for the legal and financial management of the birth center.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.46.060 and 43.70.250. WSR 25-15-078, s 246-329-030, filed 7/15/25, effective 8/15/25. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.46 RCW and RCW 43.70.040. WSR 07-07-075, § 246-329-030, filed 3/16/07, effective 4/16/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.46.060. WSR 92-02-018 (Order 224), § 246-329-030, filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. WSR 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-329-030, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.46.060. WSR 86-04-031 (Order 2338), § 248-29-030, filed 1/29/86. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. WSR 80-05-099 (Order 197), § 248-29-030, filed 5/2/80.]