The Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ) protects Delaware citizens who live or receive treatment in acute, outpatient and long-term health care settings. DHCQ licenses, monitors and conducts unannounced surveys of all hospitals, long-term nursing care and assisted living facilities in the state at least once every 12 months to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. DHCQ inspectors investigate all formal complaints filed against providers and facilities.

In addition to hospitals, long-term care, and assisted-living facilities, DHCQ licenses, certifies and provides regulatory oversight of ambulatory surgical centers, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, end-stage renal disease facilities, home health (skilled) agencies, hospices, outpatient physical and speech therapy facilities and portable X-ray suppliers for federal certification by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The Division also maintains the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Registry.

DHCQ also administers the CNA Registry, Adult Abuse Registry, Criminal Background Check Center, Drug Testing Center and the Incident Reporting Center. Through the licensing and certification process, we ensure adherence of federal/state laws and regulations. Recent state and/or federal mandated trainings include dementia, infection control, emergency preparedness and trauma informed care training; all designed to improve staff competency resulting in improved health care quality.