Protecting the Public: Health Facility Licensing

While hospitals and nursing homes are readily recognized as examples of institutional healthcare facilities, many other types of health facilities deliver patient care within the U.S. healthcare system.  Comprised of both profit and non-profit oriented organizations, these institutional providers typically focus on delivering either a specific type of healthcare service or, in some cases, serving a particular segment of the community.  Beyond hospitals and nursing homes, institutional health facilities include:

• adult day care centers
• ambulatory surgery centers
• assisted living facilities
• birth centers
• clinical laboratories
• federally qualified health centers
• community mental health centers
• dialysis clinics
• outpatient rehabilitation facilities
• end-stage renal disease centers
• home health agencies
• hospices
• intermediate care facilities
• facilities for the developmentally disabled
• residential treatment facilities
• rural health clinics
• skilled nursing facilities
  
  

Regulatory oversight of hospitals, nursing homes and these other types of institutional health facilities comes at both the federal and state levels.  At the federal level, all of these institutional providers must meet certain requirements in order to participate in the Medicare program that provides health insurance to most everyone over the age of 65, plus several million younger individuals with disabilities.  In order to assist consumers in determining if a hospital or other health facility meets these federal requirements to participate in Medicare, the U.S. government makes available more than a half-dozen online provider lookup tools:

• Hospital Compare
  
• Nursing Home Compare
  
• Home Health Compare
  
• Hospice Compare
  
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Compare
  
• Long Term Hospital Compare
  
• Dialysis Facility Compare
  

Beyond meeting requirements to participate in Medicare, institutional health facilities must also satisfy licensing standards established by regulatory authorities in each state in which they operate.  These state licensing efforts aim to protect the public by assuring that health facilities have demonstrated an ongoing ability to meet certain technical and quality-of-care standards in their delivery of services to consumers.  

To assist the public with determining the license status of institutional health facilities that operate within their boundaries, each state provides online license verification tools or resources.  Visit our Health Facilities License Lookup resource page for more information about these state license verification tools and resources.

Protecting the Public: State Pharmacy Boards

Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy professionals must be licensed in the states in which they practice.  In most states, regulatory oversight is provided by a State Pharmacy Board or the equivalent.  These regulatory authorities are responsible for protecting the health and safety of the public by determining licensure qualifications for new pharmacy professionals, establishing standards for practitioners to follow in order to maintain their license to practice, disciplining licensees who do not adhere to those requirements, and promoting high quality pharmaceutical care and pharmacy services. In addition to pharmacists and other pharmacy professionals, in a number of states the Pharmacy Board, or its equivalent, provides regulatory oversight of pharmacies and other institutions engaged in the distribution of pharmaceutical products and services.  To find the State Pharmacy Board, or the equivalent, that oversee pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy professionals in each state. visit our resource guide:

State Pharmacy Boards | Health Guide USA

Protecting the Public: State Medical Boards

Physicians and surgeons must be licensed in the states in which they practice.  In most states, regulatory oversight is provided by a State Medical Board or the equivalent.  These regulatory bodies are responsible for protecting the health and safety of the public by determining licensure qualifications for new physicians and surgeons, establishing standards for practitioners to follow in order to maintain their license in good standing, and disciplining licensees who do not adhere to those requirements. In addition to physicians and surgeons, in a number of states the Medical Board, or its equivalent, provide regulatory oversight of physician assistants and various other types of healthcare professions.  To find the Medical Boards, or the equivalent, that oversees physician and surgeon practitioners in each state. visit our resource guide:

State Medical Boards | Health Guide USA