<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80727</law_id><section_number>32.1-123</section_number><catch_line>(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-5386</reference><reference>18.2-57</reference><reference>2.2-3705.2</reference><reference>32.1-102.1</reference><reference>32.1-102.1:3</reference><reference>32.1-124</reference><reference>32.1-125.1</reference><reference>32.1-138</reference><reference>32.1-162.5</reference><reference>32.1-27.1</reference><reference>32.1-27.2</reference><reference>32.1-27.3</reference><reference>32.1-276.3</reference><reference>32.1-276.5</reference><reference>32.1-276.6</reference><reference>32.1-373</reference><reference>32.1-69.1</reference><reference>36-47</reference><reference>37.2-1101</reference><reference>37.2-1106</reference><reference>37.2-403</reference><reference>37.2-505</reference><reference>38.2-2800</reference><reference>38.2-3412.1</reference><reference>38.2-4918</reference><reference>38.2-6113</reference><reference>46.2-1243</reference><reference>47.1-2</reference><reference>51.5-183</reference><reference>54.1-2410</reference><reference>54.1-2918</reference><reference>54.1-2951.1</reference><reference>54.1-2956.8:1</reference><reference>54.1-2957.03</reference><reference>54.1-2957.04</reference><reference>54.1-2957.12</reference><reference>54.1-2962.1</reference><reference>54.1-2972</reference><reference>54.1-2982</reference><reference>54.1-3100</reference><reference>59.1-611</reference><reference>60.2-221</reference><reference>63.2-1606</reference><reference>64.2-2001</reference><reference>64.2-2009</reference><reference>64.2-2019.1</reference><reference>65.2-101</reference><reference>65.2-401</reference><reference>8.01-38</reference><reference>8.01-581.1</reference><reference>9.1-914</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Regulation of Medical Care Facilities and Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article unless a different meaning or construction is clearly required by the context or otherwise:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Certified nursing facility</span>&#x201D; means any skilled nursing facility, skilled care facility, intermediate care facility, nursing or nursing care facility, or <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span>, whether freestanding or a portion of a freestanding <span class="dictionary">medical care facility</span>, that is certified as a Medicare or Medicaid provider, or both, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Certification of medical care facilities under Title XVIII of Social Security Act" href="/32.1-137/">32.1-137</a>.
		&#x201C;Children&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">hospital</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> (i) whose inpatients are predominantly under 18 years of age and (ii) which is excluded from the Medicare prospective payment system pursuant to the Social Security Act.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Class I violation</span>&#x201D; means failure of a <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span> or <span class="dictionary">certified nursing facility</span> to comply with one or more requirements of state or federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> or regulations which creates a situation that presents an <span class="dictionary">immediate and serious threat</span> to patient health or safety.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Class II violation</span>&#x201D; means a pattern of noncompliance by a <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span> or <span class="dictionary">certified nursing facility</span> with one or more federal conditions of participation which indicates delivery of <span class="dictionary">substandard quality of care</span> but does not necessarily create an <span class="dictionary">immediate and serious threat</span> to patient health and safety. Regardless of whether the facility participates in Medicare or Medicaid, the federal conditions of participation shall be the standards for <span class="dictionary">Class II violations</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Hospital</span>&#x201D; means any facility licensed pursuant to this article in which the primary function is the provision of diagnosis, of treatment, and of medical and nursing services, surgical or nonsurgical, for two or more <span class="dictionary">nonrelated</span> individuals, including <span class="dictionary">hospitals</span> known by varying nomenclature or designation such as children&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">hospitals</span>, sanatoriums, sanitariums and general, acute, rehabilitation, chronic disease, short-term, long-term, outpatient surgical, and inpatient or outpatient maternity <span class="dictionary">hospitals</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Immediate and serious threat</span>&#x201D; means a situation or condition having a high probability that serious harm or injury to patients could occur at any time, or already has occurred, and may occur again, if patients are not protected effectively from the harm, or the threat is not removed.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Inspection</span>&#x201D; means all surveys, <span class="dictionary">inspections</span>, investigations and other procedures necessary for the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Health to perform in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to carry out various obligations imposed on the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> or <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> by applicable state and federal <span class="dictionary">laws</span> and regulations.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Nursing home</span>&#x201D; means any facility or any identifiable component of any facility licensed pursuant to this article in which the primary function is the provision, on a continuing basis, of nursing services and health-related services for the treatment and inpatient care of two or more <span class="dictionary">nonrelated</span> individuals, including facilities known by varying nomenclature or designation such as convalescent homes, skilled nursing facilities or skilled care facilities, intermediate care facilities, extended care facilities and nursing or nursing care facilities.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Nonrelated</span>&#x201D; means not related by blood or marriage, ascending or descending or first degree full or half <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Substandard quality of care</span>&#x201D; means deficiencies in practices of patient care, preservation of patient rights, environmental sanitation, physical plant maintenance, or life safety which, if not corrected, will have a significant harmful effect on patient health and safety.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Urine drug screening</span>&#x201D; means a chemical analysis intended to test patients for the presence of multiple drugs, including cocaine, opioids, and phencyclidine.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 32-298; 1964, c. 54; 1973, c. 477; 1979, c. 711; 1989, c. 618; 2011, c. 433; 2025, c. 238.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
