Maryland Health - General Section 19-319.2

      (a)      In this section, "facility" means a special psychiatric hospital or an acute general care hospital with separately identified inpatient psychiatric service.

      (b)      (1)      As a condition of licensure, each facility shall adopt written policies and procedures to implement the requirements of §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article. The policies and procedures:

                  (i)      May expand the rights provided in §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article;

                  (ii)      Shall provide for a mechanism for patients and others to report suspected violations of §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article to a designated official of the hospital;

                  (iii)      Shall provide a system for investigating suspected violations; and

                  (iv)      Shall ensure that there is a timely appropriate response to any suspected violation.

            (2)      The Secretary may inspect any document necessary to ensure compliance with this subsection and §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article.

            (3)      If a hospital that is a facility fails to adopt and implement the policies and procedures required by this subsection or maintains a continuing pattern of conditions or practices in knowing violation of §§ 10-701 through 10-709 of this article, the Secretary may impose the following penalties, but only after the Secretary has satisfied the conditions in § 19-360 of this subtitle:

                  (i)      Delicensure of the specialty psychiatric hospital;

                  (ii)      Delicensure of the separately identified psychiatric service of the acute general care hospital; or

                  (iii)      A fine not to exceed $500 per day for each day the violation continues.