(a) As used in this chapter, “hospital” means a health-care organization that has a governing body, an organized medical and professional staff, and inpatient facilities, and provides either medical diagnosis, treatment and care, nursing and related services for ill and injured patients, or rehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of ill, injured or disabled patients 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and primarily engaged in providing inpatient services.

(b) Hospitals may be further classified as:

(1) General. - Providing diverse patient services, diagnostic and therapeutic, for a variety of medical conditions. A general hospital must provide onsite:

a. Diagnostic x-ray services with facilities and staff for a variety of procedures;

b. Clinical laboratory services with facilities and with anatomical pathology services regularly and conveniently available; and

c. Operating room service with facilities and staff.

d. Emergency department with facilities and staff.

(2) Long-term care. — Providing inpatient services for patients whose medically-complex conditions require a long hospital stay with an average length of stay of greater than 25 days.

(3) Psychiatric. — providing services for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with psychiatric-related illness.

(4) Rehabilitation. — providing intensive inpatient rehabilitative services for 1 or more conditions requiring rehabilitation.

16 Del. C. 1953, § 1021; 56 Del. Laws, c. 360; 70 Del. Laws, c. 149, § 87; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 404, § 1; 82 Del. Laws, c. 73, § 1.