Section 144A.52 Office of Health Facility Complaints

144A.52 OFFICE OF HEALTH FACILITY COMPLAINTS.

Subdivision 1.Creation; administration.

The Office of Health Facility Complaints is hereby created in the Department of Health. The office shall be headed by a director appointed by the state commissioner of health.

The commissioner of health shall provide the Office of Health Facility Complaints with office space, administrative services and secretarial and clerical assistance.

Subd. 2.Staff.

The director may appoint a deputy director and one personal secretary to discharge the responsibilities of the office. Any deputy director or personal secretary and all other employees of the office shall be classified employees of the state commissioner of health.

Subd. 3.Duties; delegation.

The director may delegate to members of the staff any of the authority or duties of the director except the duty of formally making recommendations to the legislature, administrative agencies, health facilities, residential care homes, health care providers, home care providers, and the state commissioner of health.

Subd. 4.Training.

The director shall attempt to include staff persons with expertise in areas such as law, health care, social work, dietary needs, sanitation, financial audits, health-safety requirements as they apply to health facilities, residential care homes, and any other relevant fields. To the extent possible, employees of the office shall meet federal training requirements for health facility surveyors.

History:

1976 c 325 s 2; 1977 c 305 s 45; 1982 c 560 s 48; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 378 s 11; 1991 c 238 art 1 s 8; 1992 c 513 art 6 s 15,16