(1) As used in this part:

    (a) “Health facility” means a health facility or agency licensed under article 17.

    (b) “Medical director” means a physician who is responsible for the quality, safety, appropriateness, and effectiveness of the respiratory care services provided by a respiratory therapist, who assists in quality monitoring, protocol development, and competency validation, and who meets all of the following:

    (i) Is the medical director of an inpatient or outpatient respiratory care service or department within a health facility, or of a home care agency, durable medical equipment company, or educational program.

    (ii) Has special interest and knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiopulmonary disorders and diseases.

    (iii) Is qualified by training or experience, or both, in the management of acute and chronic cardiopulmonary disorders and diseases.

    (c) “Physician” means that term as defined in section 17001 and 17501.

    (d) “Practice of respiratory care” means the provision of respiratory care services. Practice of respiratory care may be provided by an inpatient or outpatient service or department within a health facility, by a home care agency or durable medical equipment company, or by an educational program.

    (e) “Respiratory care services” means preventative services, diagnostic services, therapeutic services, and rehabilitative services under the written, verbal, or telecommunicated order of a physician to an individual with a disorder, disease, or abnormality of the cardiopulmonary system as diagnosed by a physician. Respiratory care services involve, but are not limited to, observing, assessing, and monitoring signs and symptoms, reactions, general behavior, and general physical response of individuals to respiratory care services, including determination of whether those signs, symptoms, reactions, behaviors, or general physical response exhibit abnormal characteristics; the administration of pharmacological, diagnostic, and therapeutic agents related to respiratory care services; the collection of blood specimens and other bodily fluids and tissues for, and the performance of, cardiopulmonary diagnostic testing procedures including, but not limited to, blood gas analysis; development, implementation, and modification of respiratory care treatment plans based on assessed abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system, respiratory care protocols, clinical pathways, referrals, and written, verbal, or telecommunicated orders of a physician; application, operation, and management of mechanical ventilatory support and other means of life support; and the initiation of emergency procedures under the rules promulgated by the board.

    (f) “Respiratory therapist” and “respiratory care practitioner” mean an individual engaged in the practice of respiratory care and who is responsible for providing respiratory care services and who is licensed under this article as a respiratory therapist or respiratory care practitioner.

    (2) In addition to the definitions in this part, article 1 contains general definitions and principles of construction applicable to all articles in this code and part 161 contains definitions applicable to this part.