Nevada ASC forced to stop doing procedures

Following the discovery that six cases of hepatitis C were linked to a Nevada ambulatory surgery center--the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada--the state responded by inspecting all of the its 48 ASCs. CMS then did follow-up inspections at 20 of the sites. Now, this inspection program has turned up another ASC with questionable practices.

The state health division's Bureau of Licensure and Certification has ordered the Lake Tahoe Surgery Center of Zephyr Cove, NV to stop doing all patient-care procedures, after CMS inspectors observed "unsafe infection control practices." According to the state, inspectors found similar problems during a March 13 inspection. Unlike the prior case, it doesn't appear that there have been any cases of disease transmission to patients.

Barton HealthCare System, which owns 67 percent of the ASC, sent out a press release noting that it had put a corrective action plan in place after an inspection by the Joint Commission a few years ago. However, the Joint Commission hasn't announced the results of its recent unscheduled visit in late February.

To learn more about the ASC investigation:
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)

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