Amy Mowles is president and CEO of Mowles Medical Management.
Q: According to the documents that I have been reviewing it says that the emergency equipment list is standard and we can add to the emergency equipment but cannot eliminate any equipment. There is a ventilator on the list. Does that mean that we have to have a ventilator?
Amy Mowles: Medicare is very clear that you must have a mechanical ventilator and they do not mean a demand valve on an oxygen tank:
Q-0105 §416.44(c) Standard: Emergency Equipment Emergency equipment available to the operating rooms must include at least the following:
(1) Emergency call system.
(2) Oxygen.
(3) Mechanical ventilatory assistance equipment including airways, manual breathing bag, and ventilator.
(4) Cardiac defibrillator.
(5) Cardiac monitoring equipment.
(6) Tracheostomy set.
(7) Laryngoscope and endotracheal tubes.
(8) Suction equipment.
(9) Emergency medical equipment and supplies specified by the medical staff.
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