Starting this October, hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW must submit an application to the Department of Health (DOH) to operate or continue operating a hospital at home program.
Adding hospital at home services requires a license amendment. Hospitals must submit a cover letter indicating changes, an amended hospital application (PDF), and a hospital at home application (PDF).
The legislature passed SHB 2295 in 2024, which established hospital at home services as a service line and authorized a regulatory structure for DOH to regulate those services. It also allowed hospitals with active federal waivers from CMS to operate hospital at home programs between June 6, 2024, the date SHB 2295 went into effect, and the date DOH adopted rules.
You can find additional information about submitting a hospital at home application on DOH’s website. (Katarina Lamarche)