197.020. Definitions.

Definitions.

197.020. 1. "Governmental unit" means any county,municipality or other political subdivision or any department,division, board or other agency of any of the foregoing.

2. "Hospital" means a place devoted primarily to themaintenance and operation of facilities for the diagnosis,treatment or care for not less than twenty-four consecutive hoursin any week of three or more nonrelated individuals sufferingfrom illness, disease, injury, deformity or other abnormalphysical conditions; or a place devoted primarily to provide fornot less than twenty-four consecutive hours in any week medicalor nursing care for three or more nonrelated individuals. Theterm "hospital" does not include convalescent, nursing, shelteror boarding homes as defined in chapter 198, RSMo.

3. "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership,corporation, company or association and the legal successorsthereof.

(L. 1953 p. 631 § 2, A.L. 1959 S.B. 19, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1408 merged with H.B. 1427)

Effective 6-3-94 (H.B. 1408) 8-28-94 (H.B. 1427)

(1995) Outpatient radiation therapy services operated by hospital in commercial building was not open twenty-four hours in any day and is not a hospital, therefore is not subject to certificate of need law. SSM Health Care v. Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee, 894 S.W.2d 674 (Mo. en banc).