Cabinet for Human Resources v. Women's Health Services, Inc.

878 S.W.2d 806, 1994 Ky. App. LEXIS 72, 1994 WL 276731
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedJune 24, 1994
DocketNo. 93-CA-0640-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 878 S.W.2d 806 (Cabinet for Human Resources v. Women's Health Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cabinet for Human Resources v. Women's Health Services, Inc., 878 S.W.2d 806, 1994 Ky. App. LEXIS 72, 1994 WL 276731 (Ky. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinions

HOWERTON, Judge.

The Cabinet for Human Resources appeals from an order of the Jefferson Circuit Court dismissing its complaint against Women’s Health Services, Inc. (Health Services). The trial court’s order of dismissal was based on matters in addition to the pleadings and it must be treated as a summary judgment. We agree with the Cabinet that the trial court erred in determining Health Services is merely a physician’s office and not an ambulatory surgical center subject to regulation by the Cabinet. We therefore reverse and remand for further proceedings.

[807]*807Women’s Health Services is owned and operated by Dr. Ronachai Banchongmanie, who is licensed to practice medicine in Kentucky. Dr. Banchongmanie applied for and received a certificate of need (CON), as required for an ambulatory surgical center, in 1988. The CON was subsequently revoked in 1990 when he relocated his facility without approval from the Cabinet. It is claimed by the Cabinet that Dr. Banchongmanie continues to operate and perform procedures beyond what is permissible in a private physician’s office. The Office of Inspector General, Division of Licensing and Regulation, completed investigations of Dr. Banchongma-nie’s facility on April 17, 1990, and on June 12,1990. Both times it was determined that the center was providing health care services without the necessary license. Based on these findings, the Cabinet instituted this action for permanent injunctive relief and penalties pursuant to KRS 216B.050, and KRS 216B.990.

A temporary injunction was entered on September 20, 1990, after the trial court found the facility to be an unlicensed ambulatory surgical center. This injunction was amended on November 1, 1990, to allow use of the premises to perform uncomplicated abortions without general anesthesia up through the fourteenth week of pregnancy since no license is required to perform such procedures.

Health Services moved to dismiss the action claiming that under KRS 216B.020(3)(a) it was exempt from any license requirements as a private office. The motion to dismiss was accompanied by the affidavit of Dr. Ban-chongmanie in which he stated that he conducted an OB/GYN specialist practice at his private offices in Louisville and that he regularly delivered children at several hospitals where he has privileges. He further stated that he is qualified to and does perform second trimester abortions in his office.

On February 16, 1993, the court issued an order dismissing the action based on Dr. Banchongmanie’s affidavit and the fact that it believed the depositions tendered by the Cabinet did not overcome the assertions made in that affidavit. The court concluded that, pursuant to KRS 216B.020(3)(a), Health Services was not required to obtain a CON from the state. It is from that order this appeal is prosecuted.

CR 12.02 and CR 12.03 require that a motion in which matters outside the pleadings are considered is to be treated as a motion for summary judgment. Craft v. Simmons, Ky.App., 777 S.W.2d 618 (1989). Here, Health Services filed an affidavit in support of its motion to dismiss. This affidavit was considered by the court to be determinative of the issue; therefore, the accompanying motion must be treated as a motion for summary judgment under CR 56.

The Cabinet claims there is a disputed material issue as to whether Health Services is a private physician’s office or an ambulatory surgical center, thus summary judgment was inappropriate. We agree.

Under KRS 216B.040, KRS 216B.105, and KRS 216B.042, the Cabinet is charged with regulating health facilities and health services, including the classification of health facilities and health services according to type, size, range of services, and level of care. Pursuant to these enabling statutes, the Cabinet promulgated 902 KAR 20:106 Section 2, which contains the definition of “ambulatory surgical center”. It states as follows:

Section 2. Scope of Operation and Services. Ambulatory surgical centers are public or private institutions that are hospital based or freestanding, operated under the supervision of an organized medical staff and established, equipped, and operated primarily far the purpose of treatment of patients by surgery, whose recovery under normal circumstances will not require inpatient care. (Emphasis ours.)

KRS 216B.020(3)(a) exempts a physician’s private office from this licensing regulation. Specifically it states: “(3) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the licensure, supervision, regulation, or control in any manner of: (a) Private offices and clinics of physicians, dentists, and other practitioners of the healing artsf.]”

Had the Cabinet moved for summary judgment in the trial court, we are convinced that the evidence more nearly supports a decision [808]*808in its favor. 902 KAR 20:106 Section 2 requires surgical centers that are “established, equipped, and operated primarily for the purpose of treatment of patients by surgery, where recovery under normal circumstances will not require inpatient care” to be licensed. (Emphasis added.) Although Dr. Banehongmanie has his private office at his Health Services building, and he may at times perform some general OB/GYN office practice, the record is replete with testimony that proves that Health Services was established, equipped, and operated primarily for surgical treatment (i.e., first and second trimester abortions). There was testimony from Burnice White, a nurse consultant, from the Cabinet that during an inspection in 1990, she encountered 20-25 women clad only in robes, sitting in the waiting room at Health Services. Part of her testimony that is relevant here reads as follows:

Q. Why wasn’t it considered, his office, a private physicians’s office in 1990?
A. Because he had a preop room and it was labeled preop on the door. He had an OR room that was labeled OR, the staff identified a scrub room for us and identified an instrument room, and they had sterilization equipment that came from a hospital, operating room that they used to sterilize equipment and for storage, and they had what they called a postanesthesia room in addition to a recovery room that had recliners.
Q. Explain to me the importance of the anesthesia room in relation to the ambulatory surgical center, what difference does it make whether he had an anesthesia room or not?
A. Well, if he was in a private practice he would not need any of those rooms really.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Amy Golladay v. Zelkova Strategic Partners, LLC
Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2024
John D. Lee v. Steven R. Romines
Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2024
Kelly Gregory Blackwood v. Bobby Brian Blackwood
Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2023
Greggory D. Sears v. Addam G. Clark
Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2023
Adams v. Meko
341 S.W.3d 600 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2011)
Bear, Inc. v. Smith
303 S.W.3d 137 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2010)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
878 S.W.2d 806, 1994 Ky. App. LEXIS 72, 1994 WL 276731, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cabinet-for-human-resources-v-womens-health-services-inc-kyctapp-1994.