If a health facility, or an applicant for a license has not been previously licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250), the state department may only provisionally license the facility as provided in this section. A provisional license to operate a health facility shall terminate six months from the date of issuance. Within 30 days of the termination of a provisional license, the state department shall give the facility a full and complete inspection, and, if the facility meets all applicable requirements for licensure, a regular license shall be issued. If the health facility does not meet the requirements for licensure but has made substantial progress towards meeting the requirements, as determined by the state department, the initial provisional license shall be renewed for six months. If the state department determines that there has not been substantial progress towards meeting licensure requirements at the time of the first full inspection provided by this section, or, if the state department determines upon its inspection made within 30 days of the termination of a renewed provisional license that there is lack of full compliance with the requirements, no further license shall be issued.

If an applicant for a provisional license to operate a health facility has been denied provisional licensing by the state department, he or she may contest the denial by filing a request for a hearing pursuant to Section 100171.

The department shall not apply less stringent criteria when granting a provisional license pursuant to this section than it applies when granting a permanent license.

General acute care hospitals and acute psychiatric hospitals are exempt from this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 220, Sec. 17. Effective August 4, 1997.)