54.1-2410 - Definitions. - Virginia Statutes

§ 54.1-2410. Definitions.

As used in this chapter or when referring to the Board of Health Professionsregulatory authority therefor, unless the context requires a differentmeaning:

"Board" means the Board of Health Professions.

"Community" means a city or a county.

"Demonstrated need" means (i) there is no facility in the communityproviding similar services and (ii) alternative financing is not availablefor the facility, or (iii) such other conditions as may be established byBoard regulation.

"Entity" means any person, partnership, firm, corporation, or otherbusiness, including assisted living facilities as defined in § 63.2-100, thatdelivers health services.

"Group practice" means two or more health care practitioners who aremembers of the same legally organized partnership, professional corporation,not-for-profit corporation, faculty practice or similar association in which(i) each member provides substantially the full range of services within hislicensed or certified scope of practice at the same location as the othermembers through the use of the organization's office space, facilities,equipment, or personnel; (ii) payments for services received from a memberare treated as receipts of the organization; and (iii) the overhead expensesand income from the practice are distributed according to methods previouslydetermined by the members.

"Health services" means any procedures or services related to prevention,diagnosis, treatment, and care rendered by a health care worker, regardlessof whether the worker is regulated by the Commonwealth.

"Immediate family member" means the individual's spouse, child, child'sspouse, stepchild, stepchild's spouse, grandchild, grandchild's spouse,parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, or sibling.

"Investment interest" means the ownership or holding of an equity or debtsecurity, including, but not limited to, shares of stock in a corporation,interests or units of a partnership, bonds, debentures, notes, or otherequity or debt instruments, except investment interests in a hospitallicensed pursuant to Article 1 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title32.1.

"Investor" means an individual or entity directly or indirectly possessinga legal or beneficial ownership interest, including an investment interest.

"Office practice" means the facility or facilities at which a practitioner,on an ongoing basis, provides or supervises the provision of health servicesto consumers.

"Practitioner" means any individual certified or licensed by any of thehealth regulatory boards within the Department of Health Professions, exceptindividuals regulated by the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers or theBoard of Veterinary Medicine.

"Referral" means to send or direct a patient for health services to anotherhealth care practitioner or entity outside the referring practitioner's grouppractice or office practice or to establish a plan of care which requires theprovision of any health services outside the referring practitioner's grouppractice or office practice.

(1993, c. 869; 2000, c. 201.)