Attention!!!

SURGERY CENTER DIRECTOR

Please take this short quiz to determine if

you are in violation.

 

1. Are you a California ASC?   

Yes  No    

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2. Did you hire any staff (untrained or non-infection control professional) to run the infection control functions of your ASC? 

Yes  No

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3. Do you have an infection control program that is not customized to your ASC? 

Yes  No

 

If you answered YES to any of these questions you are at HIGH RISK of an AAAHC/CMS survey

After the publication of “Infection Control Assessment of Ambulatory Surgical Centers” in JAMA on June 2010 

 

So the following was initiated:

 

1. California Public Health Department/ Licensing Branch contains new requirements in ASC Oversight as of 10/1/2009: 

• 30% of non-deemed ASCs to be surveyed in FY 2010.

• Increase in FY 2010 ASC validation surveys.

• Infection Preventionist: “If the ASC cannot document that it has designated a qualified professional with training (not necessarily certification) in infection control to direct its infection control program, a deficiency related to 42 CFR 416.51(b)(1) must be cited”.

• Infection Control Program: “If infection control training is not provided to appropriate staff upon hire/granting of privileges, with some refresher training thereafter, a deficiency must be cited in relation to 42 CFR 416.51(b) and (b)(3). If training is completely absent, then consideration should be given to condition-level citation in relation to 42 CFR 416.51, particularly when the ASC’s practices fail to comply with infection control standards of practice.”

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Increase in CMS Survey Budget:

CMS FY 2015 includes $424.4 Million for state survey and certification activities, a $49 Million increase over the FY2014 enacted level. 

 

Source: 

As you know California takes a big chunk of that budget…just continue 

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  The CMS allocated $1,563,435.00 to fund the surveys in California. This is much more than other States according to the table below [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)]. Ambulatory Surgical Center Healthcare-Associated Infection (ASC-HAI) Prevention Initiative, June 12, 2009.*

 

*To review the complete report visit: www.cms.hhs.gov/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/downloads/SCLetter09_43.pdf

 

 

DICS excels in providing the following services:

 

1. Design infection control program tailored specifically to meet your needs.

2. Assist with the AAAHC/ CMS and The Joint Commission accreditation.

3. Develop a surveillance program for post operative surgical site infection (SSIs)

4. Perform rounds that cover and meet the requirements of the regulatory agencies.

5. Offer an appropriate and essential educational program in English and Spanish for the ASC staff with special focus covering the terminal cleaning of the OR.

6. Train EVS staff in Spanish (if needed) on turn over and terminal cleaning.

7. Review use of disinfectants in the facility.