Inspection and consultation for alterations.

(a) The department shall make annual inspections and investigations of hospital facilities. The department may accept accreditation by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals in lieu of an annual inspection by the department for the year in which the accreditation was granted if the accreditation standards of the commission are substantially similar to the inspection standards of the department.

(b) The department may by regulation require that a licensee or applicant desiring to make a specified type of alteration or addition to its facilities or to construct new facilities shall, before commencing the alteration, addition, or new construction, submit plans and specifications to the department for preliminary inspection and approval or recommendations with respect to compliance with its regulations and standards.