The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology suggested CMS phase in expanded reporting of central line-associated infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections in comments on the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2014.
APIC supports many of the changes to the IPPS for acute-care hospitals, such as the development of an algorithm to exclude planned readmissions from the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. However, APIC expressed "significant concern" over changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's CAUTI definition coinciding with an expansion of CAUTI reporting.
CMS proposed changes to the Hospital Inpatient Quality Program that would expand CLABSI and CAUTI measures to certain areas outside of the intensive care unit on or after Jan. 1, 2014. The CDC National Healthcare Safety Network is also changing the CAUTI definition in early 2014, according to APIC's letter.
To avoid confusion and potential unreliability of CAUTI data, APIC recommended CMS expand reporting for CLABSI before CAUTI, and expand CAUTI reporting at least one year after the CAUTI definition changes.
More Articles on APIC:
APIC Recognizes Dr. John Calderone With 4th Annual Healthcare Administrator Award
Study: Loyola University Medical Center's Mandatory Flu Shot Policy Succeeds
Study: 3 Out of 20 Endoscopes Are Improperly Cleaned