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

(1) "Health care-associated infection" means a localized or systemic condition that results from adverse reaction to the presence of an infectious agent or its toxins and that was not present or incubating at the time of admission to the hospital.

(2) "Hospital" means a health care facility licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW.

The purpose of this section is to establish data collection and submission requirements for health care-associated infections at hospitals. This type of data provides evidence-based information measures to reduce hospital-acquired infections.

(1) A hospital must routinely collect and submit data related to health care-associated infections to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in compliance with RCW 43.70.056.

(2) A hospital that is licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW and is also an acute care hospital under 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(c)(1)(A), a rehabilitation hospital under 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(1)(B)(ii), a cancer hospital under 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(1)(B)(v), or a critical access hospital under 42 U.S.C. 1395i-4 must collect and submit data as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for quality reporting programs or projects listed in Table 1 of this section.

(3) A hospital that is certified as a critical access hospital may also voluntarily submit optional data requirements in Table 2 of this section. Submission of optional data is voluntary and is beneficial for understanding health care-associated infection rates at these hospitals. A hospital that submits optional data under this section must submit data on all the optional reporting categories found in Table 2.

(4) All data collected under this section must be collected and submitted in accordance with CDC NHSN's definitions, methods, requirements, and procedures found at www.cdc.gov/nhsn/.

Table 1

National Health Safety Network Health Care-Associated Infection Reporting Requirements for Hospitals

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), January 2019

Table 2

Optional Reporting