Health Facility Regulation

Certificate of Need Unit and Financial Analysis Unit
The Certificate of Need (CON) program is a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers to obtain state approval before offering new or expanded services or making major capital expenditures. The Financial Analysis program is a review and determination process that provides for the collection and analysis of hospital financial data and utilization statistics.

Health Care Clinic Unit
The Health Care Clinic Unit is responsible for the regulation of clinics and issuance of licenses under Part XIII, Chapter 400, Florida Statutes. Effective March 1, 2004, this licensure process will replace the registration of clinics that had been done by the Department of Health. This unit will process applications and documentation submitted by clinics as required by statutes and rules.

Home Care Unit
Licenses home health agencies, nurse registries, home medical equipment providers, hospices. Registers homemaker companions agencies and health care services pools. Certifies home health agencies and hospices for Medicare and Medicaid.

Hospital and Outpatient Services Unit
Regulates 15 diverse facilities, providers, suppliers or programs, which can be divided into three categories. These include: those regulated only under a state licensure program, those regulated only under the Medicare certification program and those regulated under both state licensure and Medicare.

Laboratory Licensure Unit
Responsible for the licensure and certification of clinical laboratories in the State of Florida. The unit is also responsible for the licensure of Drug-Free Workplace Laboratories and Multi-phasic Health Testing Centers and the certification of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) facilities.

Risk Management
Oversees the processes relating to Health Care Risk Management in Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers and Health Maintenance Organizations. The office is also responsible for monitoring the risk management patient injury reporting processes, risk management inspections and surveys and the licensing of Health Care Risk Managers.

Other Links

Health Care Advance Directives

Minimum Data Set (MDS):  A standardized definition of items used to improve quality of care by assessing the needs and functional status of residents in long term care facilities that participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program.

Organ & Tissue Donors

Outcome Assessment Information Set (OASIS):  A uniform core set of data elements used to improve quality of care by enabling measurement of patient outcomes in home health agencies that participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program.

Avian Flu Action Plan for Health Care Providers