HARRISBURG The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) today hailed final passage of House Bill 1190, which brings Pennsylvania in line with many other states by allowing hospitals that undergo surveys by national organizations using modern standards to be in compliance with licensure requirements of the state Department of Health.

"House Bill 1190 eliminates redundancy in licensure surveys and allows the Department of Health to focus on consumer complaints, thereby maximizing the effective use of state resources," said HAP President and CEO Andy Carter."At the same time," Carter said, "this bill will foster improved quality oversight of Pennsylvania hospitals, as national accreditation standards for quality of care at hospitals are more rigorous and up to date.""Pennsylvania's hospitals applaud Governor Corbett and Secretary of Health Michael Wolf for making hospital licensure reform a top public health priority," Carter said. "This is a win for patients and hospitals."We also thank Representative Bryan Cutler and his colleagues in the General Assembly for passing legislation that marks the most significant change in hospital licensure regulations since the early 1980s. HB 1190 will ensure that hospitals are held to the very highest standards when delivering patient care."House Bill 1190 retains the Department of Health's oversight over hospital construction and renovation, and the agency will continue to be responsible for protecting public health by investigating any complaints filed against a hospital, regardless of whether or not they are accredited or not.HAP is a statewide membership services organization that advocates for nearly 240 Pennsylvania acute and specialty care, primary care, subacute care, long-term care, home health, and hospice providers, as well as the patients and communities they serve. Additional information about HAP is available online at

www.haponline.org.