Hospitals provide accommodation and services to people who need care for 24 hours or more. The services may include observing, diagnosing and treating people suffering from illness or injury.
Three types of hospitals are licensed in Washington State:
Acute Care Hospital | Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Hospitals | Private Psychiatric Hospitals
We can help you
File a complaint | Find information about federal Medicare | Verify a facility license
Current Topics
- New - The Washington State Department of Health has issued CR-103P (PDF) and concise explanatory statement (PDF) explaining the adopted updates to rules regarding acute care and private psychiatric hospital fees to address funding needs and to clarify and standardize language.
- New - The Washington State Department of Health has issued a policy statement that reaffirms access to emergency abortion services in Washington state. DOH is committed to providing equitable access to reproductive services.
- New - COVID Waiver offboarding. On July 29, 2022, the governor rescinded Proclamation 20-36 regarding the COVID-19 waivers effective October 27, 2022. See our frequently asked questions for more information (PDF) and our COVID-19 Waiver Offboarding PowerPoint slides (PDF).
- Notice of Emergency Rule filing. The Department of Health (department) adopted an emergency rule (PDF) clarifying that all health care facilities licensed by the department must comply with state and federal statutes, administrative rules, lawful orders, and other legal requirements relating to the operation of the facility and the control or prevention of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including orders issued by the Governor, by the Secretary of Health, by a local board of health, and by a local health officer. The new rule applies to all health care facilities licensed by the department, which includes: Acute Care Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, Behavioral Health Agencies, Birthing Centers, In-Home Services Agencies, Medical Test Sites, Psychiatric Hospitals, and Residential Treatment Facilities.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the guidelines for health care worker Tuberculosis screening. The Department of Health has issued policy statement allowing hospitals to implement these updated guidelines (PDF).