If the BOH is going to amend regulations for inpatient and outpatient hospitals to grandfather existing facilities from the new construction guidelines, then it is only fair to do the same for Women's clinics in the State.  Existing women's clinics that provide preventative reproductive health care and perform abortion procedures should also be grandfathered with these amended regulations.  If the amended regulations intent is to allow existing facilities to continue to provide services then why are ONLY women's clinics (that also provide abortion) being singled out?  How can the BOH treat one group of outpatient facilities differently than another?

Women's clinics in the state of Virginia have been operating in accordance with the code established for them. Guidelines that were meant for new construction should never be applied to existing facilities.  This realization becomes clear when amended regulations are being considered for existing inpatient and outpatient hospitals only. 

I urge you to include women's clinics in the state of Virginia as facilities that will also benefit from the amended regulations so that they can continue to operate by providing preventative reproductive health care to women.