Health Care Facilities Regulation

HHSC is required to regulate certain types of health care facilities to protect consumer and patient health and safety by ensuring compliance with state laws and rules. Regulatory activities include surveying facilities, reviewing complaints, investigating possible violations, evaluating evidence, reviewing plans of correction, and determining administrative penalties. Working collaboratively with stakeholders, HHSC establishes rules and standards for facilities’ general operations, patient services, and physical plants, as well as procedural rules regarding license applications and issuance, complaints, violations, and enforcement.

Texas law requires certain types of health care facilities to be licensed in order to provide services. The licensing procedure varies according to facility type and may include application review, fees, architectural and life safety code approval, and initial on-site surveys.

You can verify a facility license by searching the online licensing system.

Abortion Facilities (ABO)
Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC)
Birthing Centers
Burial or Cremation Assistance Registry
Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA)
Chemical Dependency Treatment Facilities (CDTF)
Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC)
Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (CORF)
End Stage Renal Disease Facilities (ESRD)
Freestanding Emergency Medical Care Facilities (FEMC)
Hospitals - General (Hospital)
Hospitals - Psychiatric & Crisis Stabilization Units (Psych Hospital & CSU)
Hospitals - Special (Special Hospital)
Laboratories - Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)
Limited Services Rural Hospitals (LSRH)
Narcotic Treatment Programs (NTP)
Portable X-Ray Services (Port-X)
Psychiatric Drug Formulary
Rural Health Clinics (RHC)
Special Care Facilities (SCF)

Guidance Letters

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Providers

Note: These files are in PDF format unless otherwise noted.
Number	Title	Date Published
GL 21-2003-A	In-Person Hospital Visitation During Certain Periods of Disaster (HB 2211-87R) Applies to: Hospital, Special Hospital Note: Revised September 30, 2022. Originally issued September 15, 2021.	09/30/2022
GL 22-0002	Amended Requirements for Emergency Services and Care Provided to Sexual Assault Survivors (HB 2706-87R) Applies to: FEMC, Hospital, Special Hospital, Health Care Facilities Regulation	08/18/2022
GL 20-2018-A	Rights and Treatment of Adult Sexual Assault Survivors Under Guardianship (HB 4531-86R) [Amended] Applies to: FEMC, Hospital, Special Hospital Note: Original issued date July 6, 2020	08/18/2022
GL 22-3003	Co-location of Chemical Dependency Treatment Facilities or Narcotic Treatment Programs with Other Programs and Services Applies to: CDTF, NTP	07/25/2022
GL 22-3004	Preparing for Emergencies or Disasters Applies to: NTP, Health Care Facilities Regulation	07/20/2022
GL 21-3004-A	Outpatient Chemical Dependency Treatment Service Provision Through Electronic Means (HB 4-87R) [Amended] Applies to: CDTF	03/03/2022
GL 19-1000-A	Chemical Dependency Treatment Facility Outpatient Satellite Site Exemption (HB 4298-86R) Applies to: CDTF	03/03/2022
GL 22-0001	Implementation of House Bill (HB) 525, 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021 Applies to: Health Care Facilities Regulation, Abortion Facilities, ASC, Birthing Centers, CDTF, ESRD, FEMC, Hospital, NTP, Psych Hospital & CSU, SCF, Special Hospital	02/03/2022
GL 21-2007	Information for Reporting Suspicious Activity Required on Human Trafficking Signs (HB 3721-87R) Applies to: Abortion Facilities, ASC, Hospital, Special Hospital	11/09/2021
GL 21-0001	Organ Transplant Recipient Discrimination Based on an Individual’s Disability Prohibited (HB 119-87R) Applies to: Abortion Facilities, ASC, Birthing Centers, CDTF, ESRD, Hospital, NTP, Psych Hospital & CSU, SCF, Special Hospital, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors	11/05/2021