                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DEFINITIONS (§ 54.1-2410)

As used in this chapter or when referring to the Department of Health
Professions regulatory authority therefor, unless the context requires a
different meaning:

&#8220;Community&#8221; means a city or a county.

&#8220;Demonstrated need&#8221; means (i) there is no facility in the community
providing similar services and (ii) alternative financing is not available for
the facility or (iii) such other conditions as may be established by Department
regulation.

&#8220;Department&#8221; means the Department of Health Professions.

&#8220;Entity&#8221; means any person, partnership, firm, corporation, or other
business, including assisted living facilities as defined in § 63.2-100, that
delivers health services.

&#8220;Group practice&#8221; means two or more health care practitioners who are
members of the same legally organized partnership, professional corporation,
not-for-profit corporation, faculty practice or similar association in which (i)
each member provides substantially the full range of services within his
licensed or certified scope of practice at the same location as the other
members through the use of the organization&#8217;s office space, facilities,
equipment, or personnel; (ii) payments for services received from a member are
treated as receipts of the organization; and (iii) the overhead expenses and
income from the practice are distributed according to methods previously
determined by the members.

&#8220;Health services&#8221; means any procedures or services related to
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care rendered by a health care worker,
regardless of whether the worker is regulated by the Commonwealth.

&#8220;Immediate family member&#8221; means the individual&#8217;s spouse,
child, child&#8217;s spouse, stepchild, stepchild&#8217;s spouse, grandchild,
grandchild&#8217;s spouse, parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, or sibling.

&#8220;Investment interest&#8221; means the ownership or holding of an equity or
debt security, including, but not limited to, shares of stock in a corporation,
interests or units of a partnership, bonds, debentures, notes, or other equity
or debt instruments, except investment interests in a hospital licensed pursuant
to Article 1 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1.

&#8220;Investor&#8221; means an individual or entity directly or indirectly
possessing a legal or beneficial ownership interest, including an investment
interest.

&#8220;Office practice&#8221; means the facility or facilities at which a
practitioner, on an ongoing basis, provides or supervises the provision of
health services to consumers.

&#8220;Practitioner&#8221; means any individual certified or licensed by any of
the health regulatory boards within the Department of Health Professions, except
individuals regulated by the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers or the
Board of Veterinary Medicine.

&#8220;Referral&#8221; means to send or direct a patient for health services to
another health care practitioner or entity outside the referring
practitioner&#8217;s group practice or office practice or to establish a plan of
care which requires the provision of any health services outside the referring
practitioner&#8217;s group practice or office practice.

HISTORY: 1993, c. 869; 2000, c. 201; 2025, c. 341.