6/14/16

CMS Proposes Rule on Infection Control and Inappropriate Antibiotic Use

By on 4:36 AM

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed new standards revising the Conditions of Participation (CoPs) concerning infection prevention and antibiotic prescribing in hospitals and critical-access hospitals.

Under the proposed rule, hospitals and critical-access hospitals (CAHs) would be required to have and demonstrate adherence to facility-wide infection prevention and control programs, as well as antibiotic stewardship programs. It is intended to help prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), stopping spread of antibiotic-resistant germs and reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

The proposed rule comes only a few days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) alert concerning the first mcr-1 gene in E. coli bacteria found in a person in the United States.

The mcr-1 gene makes bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin, the last-resort drug for treating patients with infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.

CDC stated that it issued the HAN notice as a reminder about recommendations to prevent antibiotic resistant infections and alert them to additional recommendations for detecting and reporting bacteria with the mcr-1 gene.

CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until August 15, 2016. Submit comments electronically through the e-Regulation website here.


 

Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, FAPIC

Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, FAPIC, is the founder and president of Infection Control Consulting Services LLC (ICCS). Phenelle has more than 30 years' experience providing customized comprehensive infection control and prevention services to healthcare facilities nationwide. Her services focus on assisting hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, dental office and oral surgery practices, doctor's offices, nursing homes and other organizations with implementing and maintaining an infection control program that: complies with The Joint Commission, AAAHC, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and other regulatory agencies; respond to situations of noncompliance; and improve the processes for reducing risk.