Ohio gets funds for health oversight centers

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Health recently was awarded $139,565 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for state surveyors to provide greater oversight in non-accredited Medicare-certified Ambulatory Surgical Centers.

The federal funding for this effort totals $9 million and was made available to Ohio and 42 other states to help reduce healthcare-associated infections in stand-alone or same-day surgical centers.

“Patients should not have to be concerned that they are at increased risk of infections when seeking health care,” said ODH Director Dr. Alvin D. Jackson.

“These funds will help us continue our efforts to provide the oversight needed in these facilities and to ensure quality care.”

ASCs account for more than 43 percent of all same-day surgery in the United States, amounting to about 15 million procedures per year. The typical surgical procedures conducted in ASCs include endoscopies and colonoscopies, orthopedic procedures, plastic/reconstructive surgeries, and eye, foot, and ear/nose/throat surgeries.

Ohio will use its share of the funding to survey 100 non-accredited ASCs across the state over the next 12 months.

ODH surveyors will implement a new CMS survey process for ASCs that uses an infection control protocol developed in conjunction with the CDC. This new method will improve the extent to which ASC infection control deficiencies are identified and corrected through a facility plan of correction.

In addition to the funds being targeted for the inspection of ASCs, the CDC previously awarded Ohio $368,868.00 in ARRA funding to assist ODH in creating or expanding state-based HAI prevention and surveillance efforts, and by strengthening the knowledge base of those public health workers trained to prevent them.

###

Contact: Ohio Department of Health, Office of Public Affairs 614