§16-1C-1. Definitions.

(a)"Direct patient care" means health care that provides for the physical, diagnostic, emotional or rehabilitation needs of a patient or health care that involves examination, treatment or preparation for diagnostic tests or procedures.

(b) "Employee" means an employee or contractor of a health care provider or a person who is granted privileges by a health care provider who delivers direct patient care.

(c) "Health care provider" means an individual, partnership, corporation, facility, hospital or institution licensed or certified or authorized by law to provide professional health care service in this state to a patient during that patient's medical, remedial or behavioral health care, treatment or confinement.

(d) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Health. The secretary may define in rules any term or phrase used in this article which is not expressly defined.