Hospital applications: coordinated processing.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities, including hospitals, by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information to administer various programs related to health facilities with regard to, among other things, health data, financing, and design review and construction. This bill would require the 2 departments to coordinate and act concurrently, to the extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, in the review and processing of any hospital application requiring approval from both departments, as specified. The bill would require each department to commence review of a hospital application upon receipt of a complete application and payment of any applicable fee. The bill would prohibit the automatic imposition of a waiting period, but the bill would authorize imposition of a reasonable waiting period if the applicant has demonstrated a documented pattern of failure to honor a payment obligation for prior submissions.