Helpful Links for ASCRS Members Related to Quality of Life and Safety

1.  Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services:  

CMS Proposals to Improve Quality of Care during Hospital Inpatient Stays

OVERVIEW:  On April 30, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would update Medicare payment policies and rates under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospitals Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015. 

The proposed rule, which would apply to approximately 3,400 acute care hospitals and approximately 435 LTCHs, would affect discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014. 

In addition to setting the standards for payment for Medicare-covered inpatient services, the proposed rule will update the measures and financial incentives in the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction, Hospital Value-Based Purchasing and Hospital Readmissions Reduction programs, as well as the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program and Electronic Health Records Incentive Program.  It would also revise measures for the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Quality Reporting Program and the PPS-Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting Program.

A separate fact sheet on proposed payment changes is available on the CMS Web page at: http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/Search-Results/index.html?filter=Fact%20Sheets.

CMS improvements to quality of care proposals was developed in 2014.  The following link will take you to the CMS proposals to improve quality of care in hospital inpatient stays. It also describes and links to the CMS “hospital compare” site of national quality reporting. http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2014-Fact-sheets-items/2014-04-30-2.html

CDC/ National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)-healthcare associated infection informational website.

This link will take you to multiple publications, FAQs, and videos on the CDC/CMS guidelines for detection and reporting of hospital infections including SSI from colon and rectal surgery

http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/ssi/ssi.html.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force- colorectal cancer screening.

This link will take you to up to date recommendations on colorectal cancer screening

http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspscolo.htm

American College of Surgeons (ACS)/National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) fact sheet.

This link will take you to downloadable information, overview, and outcomes for hospitals that participate in the NSQIP program

http://site.acsnsqip.org/downloads/