JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Washington Post reported on July 25 that ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), as well as other providers, are inspected much less frequently by state survey agencies than contemplated under the Medicare law. Under rules developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), nursing homes must be inspected annually; these annual inspections absorb 70 percent of the $259 million allocated by CMS for provider surveys. The result is that some ASCs are surveyed as infrequently as once every six-plus years.
The article did not refer to specific patient health and safety problems associated with the care provided in ASCs. Craig Jeffries, executive director of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (AAASC), stated, “We are proud of our industry’s exemplary record of providing the highest quality care at reduced cost to the nation’s Medicare beneficiaries. ASCs are required to meet standards for facility structure and quality assurance that are as rigorous and extensive as those which apply to hospitals. We fully expect the federal government to take whatever actions are necessary and required by law, including periodic inspections of ASCs, to ensure that patients receive optimal care.”
According to the AAASC, The Washington Post lamented the inadequate funding provided for inspection of many types of healthcare facilities. In response to a similar funding crisis more than a decade ago, Congress directed CMS to implement a “deemed status” program, under which ASCs that are accredited by approved entities whose standards meet or exceed Medicare conditions of coverage, are “deemed” to be in compliance with Medicare rules. Hundreds of ASCs have received accreditation from organizations such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), and have undergone regular surveys to maintain their accreditation and Medicare certification.
Jeffries commented, “In our experience, accreditation represents an effective partnership between joint federal regulators and the private sector in which, at no cost to the government, the public can be assured that health care facilities, including ambulatory surgery centers, meet rigorous and contemporary standards for patient health and safety.”
Source: AAASC