Senate bill would let Medicare patients self-pay for medical devices
Editor's Note Four US Senators (two democrats, two republicans) are sponsoring legislation—The Accelerating Innovation in Medicine (AIM) Act—that would increase Medicare patients’ access to new medical devices. Currently, Medicare patients who are interested in self-paying for a device not covered by Medicare face significant administrative obstacles. Under AIM, once a…
Senate panel asking for delay of Stage 3 MU
Editor's Note The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee is asking for a delay of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Stage 3 meaningful-use rules, which providers say are costly and time-consuming. Stage 3 requires providers to send electronic summaries for 50% of patients they refer to other…
ASCA issues quality reporting alert for ASCs
Editor's Note The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association on July 7 posted a quality reporting alert that provides instructions on required reporting that all Medicare-certified ASCs must submit to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ASC Quality Reporting Program by August 15. ASCs must report on five measures (ASC-6 through…
Surgical resident work hours reform does not improve patient safety
Editor's Note Work-hour restrictions for surgical resident, revised nationally 4 years ago to protect patients against fatigue-related errors, have not had the desired effect of lowering postoperative complication rates, according to this new study. Researchers from the American College of Surgeons found no significant difference in surgical outcomes between 1…
Hospital accreditation options expand beyond Joint Commission
In the past, most hospitals automatically sought accreditation from the Joint Commission, but recent years have brought new players to the field, prompting hospital administrators to rethink that strategy. One relatively new player is DNV GL-Healthcare (DNV GL). Since achieving deeming authority from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services…
Help is available for managing pharmaceutical waste safely and legally
Like all healthcare facilities, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) generate medical waste. Some of that waste is well known to be hazardous, such as blood, tissue, or used needles and syringes. Another type of waste is leftover medication, which is subject to its own regulations and disposal practices. Compliance is a…
First step taken in FDA-issued unique device identification system
Medical device manufacturers have taken the first step in complying with the 7-year unique device identification (UDI) process mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The UDI system establishes a consistent way to label and track medical devices from production to use, and is intended to improve patient safety…
CMS replaces flash sterilization with IUSS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has replaced the term “flash sterilization” with “immediate use steam sterilization” (IUSS) in surgical settings. The change in terminology, which applies to Medicare-participating hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgical centers that are subject to Conditions of Participation or Conditions of Coverage,…
Onus on OR managers to scope out competency of endoscopy staff
Recent highly publicized outbreaks of infections linked to improper reprocessing of flexible endoscopes have raised concerns about infection prevention in gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures. Because of the headlines, legislatures are hearing from their constituents that they are fearful of being exposed to infections, and legislatures are getting involved. The Society of…
CMS issues proposed hospital inpatient payment rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 30 issued its proposed rule that would update FY 2015 Medicare payment polices and rates for inpatient stays at general acute care and long-term care hospitals. The proposed rule will increase the payment rate to general acute care hospitals by…
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