Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs a license?
Effective January 1, 2012, all ambulatory surgical facilities (ASF) in Washington State need to be licensed. The state laws relating to ASF can be found in
chapter 70.230 RCW.
What type of facility must be licensed as ASF under this statute?
- A facility which is a distinct business entity; and
- Provides specialty or multispecialty outpatient surgical services, and either:
- Plans to use general anesthesia, or
- Operates for the primary purpose of providing specialty or multispecialty outpatient surgical services.
What is a primary purpose of providing specialty or multispecialty services?
- The majority of income or patient visits for the facility are derived from the specialty or multispecialty surgical services.
What does it mean to provide specialty or multispecialty outpatient surgical services?
- “Outpatient” means the patients are admitted and discharged within 24 hours.
- “Surgical services” are invasive medical procedures by a practitioner using a knife, laser, cautery, cryogenics, or chemicals to remove, correct, or facilitate the diagnosis or cure of a disease, process, injury, or deformity.
What does “by a practitioner” mean in this statute?
- “By a practitioner” means conducted or performed directly by a practitioner as defined in statute 70.230.010(5) RCW.
What is a practitioner under this statute?
- Practitioner is defined as any physician or surgeon licensed under
18.71 RCW, an
osteopathic physician or surgeon licensed under
18.57 RCW, or a
podiatric physician or surgeon licensed under
18.22 RCW.
Is my surgical practice exempt from ASF licensure?
It is exempt if:
- The surgical suite or procedure room is located inside a practitioner office,
and
- The primary purpose of the practitioner office is not providing specialty or multispecialty outpatient surgical services,
and
- Use of general anesthesia is not a planned event in the suite or room.
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