Deadline Looming for N.Y. Physicians Performing Outpatient Procedures

NEW YORK — July 14 signals the one year mark from the 2009 deadline for New York State Office-Based Surgery (OBS) providers who are not already accredited by one of three approved accreditation agencies. In Dec. 2007, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) passed legislation that requires all physicians who perform outpatient procedures under sedation in their office settings to be accredited through one of the three approved accreditation agencies. This move was prompted by calls from patient advocacy groups for greater regulation of out-patient office surgeries which have increased as a result of awareness and demand for screenings and other outpatient procedures.

A dear doctor letter was sent by the DOH to all licensed physicians notifying them of the change in legislation and new requirements for reporting of certain adverse events. “Offices that are impacted are those in which surgical or other invasive procedures are performed under moderate sedation, deep sedation or under general anesthesia”, such as are often performed in gastroenterology, urology, pain management and dermatology offices. All offices must be compliant by July 14, 2009.

There are an estimated 2,300 OBS offices in New York State. The three accrediting agencies, Joint Commission (JCAHO), American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC), report approximately 250 (combined) accreditations. The accreditation preparation and application process can take upwards of four months to complete.

Patient safety advocacy groups understand the importance of having access to these accredited OBS providers. Consulting firms who help physicians decipher and implement agency requirements understand the process and how important it is for OBS providers to begin early. Validare’s CEO, Rock Rockett has seen how difficult it can be for some offices to reach compliance level on their own. “We know what it took us to build our model to support the physician. And, we know what it takes to bring an office into compliance with standards, protocols and reporting. While the accrediting agencies are going to be very busy for the next year, they have no plans to relax their standards. As well, the DOH isn’t changing the deadline. Physicians who plan on continuing to perform sedation-based procedures need to get going now, before we are all swamped in meeting the deadline. When you think about it, twelve months isn’t that long.”

Source: Validare