Sebelius announces Recovery Act funds to fight HAIs in 12 states’ ASCs
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Kathleen Sebelius on July 30 announced a new effort to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in ambulatory surgery centers nationwide. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) operated program, which draws on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, will begin this month in surgery centers across 12 states.
CMS will use a new survey tool to measure ASCs, first on the more limited, 12-state basis, and later on a voluntary basis nationwide.
“People go to the hospital to get well, not take on new infection,” Sebelius said in a CMS release. “These Recovery Act funds will help to identify why there has been such an increase in healthcare-associated infections, and, importantly what can be done to prevent them.”
The 12 states include: Maine, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and Kansas. CMS will survey more than 125 surgery centers in those states by Sept. 30 at an estimated cost of $1 million. Another $9 million in Recovery Act funds will be made available in October for nationwide surveys.
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AAAASF accredits more than 300 NY facilities within a year
The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) announced in July that it had completed the accreditation of more than 300 New York office-based ambulatory facilities within the last year.
The rise in number was prompted by a New York State law signed into effect in 2007 that mandates all office-based surgery requiring moderate sedation, deep sedation or general anesthesia, and certain liposuction procedures be performed in a setting that has obtained and maintained accreditation. Facilities had until July 14 of this year to complete an inspection and accreditation program without risk of penalty.
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