Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for Feb. 23, 2015.
UCLA CRE outbreak linked to ERCP scopes.
Duodenoscopes, used during ERCP, have been associated with a number of infections, most recently an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae at UCLA Ronald Regan Medical Center. The FDA has now released a safety communication focused on duodenoscopes. The FDA warns that the intricate design of duodenoscopes may impede effective cleaning and sterilization.
Job growth higher in ACA expansion states.
A new report shows there was faster job growth in states with the Affordable Care Act expansion. Healthcare and social assistance jobs grew 30 percent faster from Dec. 2013 to December 2014 in the states with the ACA expansion than states that didn't.The states with ACA expansion saw 2.4 percent growth year over year while the states that didn't expand the ACA grew at 1.8 percent. Read the full article on Becker's ASC Review.
Study finds hand hygiene significantly low during anesthetic care.
A study, published in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control has found significant evidence for low adherence to hand hygiene guidelines in the operating room during anesthetic care. The study found that the overall hand hygiene adherence rate was 8.1 percent. Lowest adherence was observed during the induction phase before an aseptic task (2.2 percent) and highest during full-length surgeries after body fluid exposure (15.9 percent).
CMS paid $28B in MU incentives.
As of December 2014, CMS has paid out a total of $28.1 billion in incentive payments to eligible hospitals and eligible professionals participating in the federal EHR incentive program, according to data presented Feb. 10 at the CMS HIT Policy Committee meeting. In 2014, CMS paid the lowest total payments to hospitals and professionals for meeting meaningful use, with total payments of approximately $3 billion. The highest payment year was 2013, when CMS paid approximately $9.5 billion. Read the full article on Becker's Hospital Review.
CMS extends final overpayment rule.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid extended their deadline to finalize a rule under the Affordable Care Act that requires providers to report and return overpayments to Medicare. CMS issued the initial proposed rule in 2012, and the final rule was supposed to be announced this month. The extension is for one year, so now the final rule is expected in February 2016.
New Jersey Eye Center names CEO.
Bergenfield-based New Jersey Eye Center named Catherine Saetta CEO. Ms. Saetta is a certified ophthalmic executive and has more than 14 years of experience in medical practice management and business operations.
800k HealthCare.gov enrollees received incorrect tax information.
The federal government sent inaccurate tax information to approximately 800,000 people who signed up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov. The forms contained incorrect benchmark premiums, which are used with projected incomes to determine the tax credits consumers will receive to subsidize the cost of their premiums. Read the full report on Becker's Hospital Review.