HI SB2271

Expands hospital accreditation options in Hawaii from only The Joint Commission to any accreditation or certification organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), including the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality, and DNV GL Healthcare

Changes the Department of Health's authority from permissive ("may") to mandatory ("shall") regarding rules that allow accreditation to demonstrate compliance with state licensing inspections

Exempts hospitals from licensing inspections on a continuing basis if they provide certified accreditation or certification reports, maintain full accreditation/certification status, and hold a current valid state license

Preserves the Department of Health's authority to conduct inspections of exempt hospitals for complaint investigations, adverse accreditation findings, or periodic validation surveys

Effective date of July 1, 2050