The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued several important documents of interest to physicians concerning ambulatory surgical centers, EMTALA requirements and options during a disaster, infection control compliance in nursing homes and surveying of facilities that use electronic medical records. The documents (below) can be found at www.ncmedsoc.org:
- Clarification of Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Interpretive Guidelines (PDF) clarifies the ASC guidelines to indicate that an ASC and an Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (IDTF) may not share space, even when temporally separated.
- Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Requirements and Options for Hospitals in a Disaster (PDF) covers EMTALA requirements and options for hospitals experiencing an extraordinary surge in demand for ED services. The memo seeks to assist hospitals and their communities in planning for a potential surge in ED volume this fall related to H1N1 influenza. The document also includes rules governing EMTALA waivers and a Summary Sheet (PDF) that State Survey Agencies (SA) can provide to hospital and emergency response planning officials.
- Nursing Homes’ Issuance of Revisions to Interpretive Guidance at F Tag 441 (PDF), as Part of Appendix PP, Station Operations Manual (SOM), and Training Materials (PDF) and Presentations (PPT) provides clarification to nursing home surveyors when determining compliance with the regulatory requirements for infection control.
- Surveying Facilities that Use Electronic Health Records (PDF) provides background to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CMS’ goal that by 2014 most Americans will have access to health care providers who use EHRs. The document covers Provider Choice, Access to Records by Surveyors and the Surveyor Role as more facilities transition from paper to electronic records.