(a) Except where the context otherwise requires in subsection (b) of this Code section, as used in this part, the term:

(1) "Hospital" means any hospital or nursing home subject to regulation and licensure by the Department of Human Resources.

(2) "Hospital care, treatment, or services" means care, treatment, or services furnished by a hospital or nursing home.

(3) "Nursing home" means any intermediate care home, skilled nursing home, or intermingled home.

(b) Any person, firm, hospital authority, or corporation operating a hospital or nursing home in this state shall have a lien for the reasonable charges for hospital or nursing home care and treatment of an injured person, which lien shall be upon any and all causes of action accruing to the person to whom the care was furnished or to the legal representative of such person on account of injuries giving rise to the causes of action and which necessitated the hospital or nursing home care, subject, however, to any attorney's lien. This subsection shall not be construed to interfere with the exemption from this part provided by Code Section 44-14-474.