The hospital district statute sets out the PURPOSE of a hospital district, which defines the activities that a hospital district is allowed to engage in. Hospital districts have a very broad purpose statement. The statute states that the purpose of chapter 70.44 RCW is to authorize the establishment of public hospital districts to own and operate hospitals and other health care facilities and to provide hospital services and other health care services for the residents of such districts and other persons.

The statute defines “other health care services” broadly to mean nursing home, extended care, long-term care, outpatient, rehabilitative, health maintenance and ambulance services and such other services as are appropriate to the health needs of the population served.