Iowa Code Title IV. Public Health [Chs. 123-158] § 135B.1. Definitions

1. “Department” means the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing.

2. “Governmental unit” means the state, or any county, municipality, or other political subdivision or any department, division, board or other agency of any of the foregoing.

3. “Hospital” means a place which is devoted primarily to the maintenance and operation of facilities for the diagnosis, treatment or care over a period exceeding twenty-four hours of two or more nonrelated individuals suffering from illness, injury, or deformity, or a place which is devoted primarily to the rendering over a period exceeding twenty-four hours of obstetrical or other medical or nursing care for two or more nonrelated individuals, or any institution, place, building or agency in which any accommodation is primarily maintained, furnished or offered for the care over a period exceeding twenty-four hours of two or more nonrelated aged or infirm persons requiring or receiving chronic or convalescent care; and shall include sanatoriums or other related institutions within the meaning of this chapter. Provided, however, nothing in this chapter shall apply to hotels or other similar places that furnish only food and lodging, or either, to their guests or to a freestanding hospice facility which operates a hospice program in accordance with 42 C.F.R. § 418. “Hospital” shall include, in any event, any facilities wholly or partially constructed or to be constructed with federal financial assistance, pursuant to Pub. L. No. 79-725, 60 Stat. 1040, approved August 13, 1946.

4. “Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, or joint stock association; and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee or other similar representative thereof.

5. “Rural emergency hospital” means a facility that provides rural emergency hospital services in the facility twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week; does not provide any acute care inpatient services with the exception of any distinct part of the facility licensed as a skilled nursing facility providing posthospital extended care services; and meets the criteria specified in section 135B.3A and the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 116-260, § 125.

6. “Rural emergency hospital services” means the following services provided by a rural emergency hospital that do not exceed an annual per patient average of twenty-four hours in such a rural emergency hospital: