P.R. Laws tit. 20, § 2352
The following terms shall have the meanings expressed hereinafter:
(a) Health service administrator. — Means the professional having the duty to harmonize and use properly the human, material and economic resources available, in order to attain an integral and all-embracing health service organization and administration of the best possible quality at a cost adequate to the available resources.
(b) Health services. — Means, but without limitation, all those preventive, revival, rehabilitating, educational, investigative and planning functions and/or activities related to health, that are carried out in an ambulatory or domiciliary way in hospitals, dispensaries, medical centers, asylums, rest homes or in any other institution.
(c) Board. — Shall mean the Board of Examiners of Health Service Administrators created by this chapter.
(d) Health services administration. — Means the planning, organizing, direction, control, coordination and evaluation of the resources and procedures whereby the needs and requirements of health, medical care and a healthy environment are satisfied by the rendering of specific services to individuals, organizations and communities.
(e) Practice of health services administration. — Any person that on his own, or by means of his agents or employees, plans, organizes, coordinates or administrates the human, material and economic resources of a health facility in any way shall be considered to be practicing the profession of health service administrator. Any person who designates himself or makes himself known as being responsible for, or who performs the above-mentioned duties shall be understood to be practicing health services administration whether he is designated or self-designated as director, executive director, chairman, executive chairman, administrator, executive assistant, executive consultant or any other related name.
(f) Health facility. — Means an institution that provides services to the community by offering medical and/or surgical diagnosis and treatment for illnesses or injuries, and/or obstetric treatment for hospitalized patients, including general hospitals and special hospitals such as for tuberculosis and mental illnesses and other types of hospitals and related facilities such as intensive care, intermediate and self-care services for patients, x-ray and radiotherapy services, clinical and anatomical pathology laboratories and others, medical outpatient clinics, medical outpatient departments, nurses training facilities and residences, central services facilities and related services operated in conjunction with hospitals, but not including institutions that mainly offer home care or custodial services. It also includes places dedicated primarily to medical care and functions during no less than twelve (12) consecutive hours, for two (2) or more individuals, with no family ties, who are suffering from some ailment, illness, injury or deformity.
History —May 30, 1975, No. 31, p. 63, § 2; June 4, 1983, No. 98, p. 268, § 1.