Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced funding for reduction of health care associated infections in stand-alone or same-day surgical centers. The first effort for this funding will begin in 12 states under the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

"Keeping patients healthy is one of the requirements of the Recovery Act, and the first 12 states that have volunteered to focus attention on these surgical centers are taking a giant step in helping to reduce infections that affect millions of patients every year," said Secretary Sebelius in a press release on the CMS website. "CMS's efforts with states to reduce the number of infections quickly are just one part of protecting the health of the nation's health care system."

"People go to [health care facilities] to get well, not take on a new infection. These Recovery Act funds will help to identify why there has been such an increase in health care associated infections and, importantly, what can be done to prevent them," Sebelius continued. "This is what the Recovery Act is all about: putting people to work to solve an important issue and improve the quality of life for Americans for many years to come."
According to CMS, more health care delivery is being addressed in outpatient settings including ambulatory care facilities, long term care facilities, and free standing specialty care sites. The number of these centers has grown significantly--ASC's accounting for 43 percent of all same-day (ambulatory) surgery in the United States (around 15 million procedures every year). The increased use raises concern for health care associated infections (HAI's) -- infections patients acquire during stays in a health care setting. The government feels that this problem results from basic infection control failures, and requires additional oversight by CMS.

The 12 states receiving funding are Maine, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and Kansas. The states will survey more than 125 ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) before September 30, 2009. These on-site reviews will ensure the facilities are following Medicare's health and safety standards. Part of this Recovery Act-funded surveying involves a new CMS survey process using a tool developed in conjunction with CDC. The funds will increase the number of ASC's surveyed.

An additional $9 million will be available in October 2009 for all states to make additional inspections of ASC's with the new, improved survey tool. The CDC will also have $40 million available to state public health departments for creation or expansion of state-based HAI prevention and surveillance efforts.

Source: CMS

Read a special report on infection control in the August 2009 issue of DOTmed Business News, now online

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