Comments on a payment rule that requires hospitals to have infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship programs and policies allowing physician assistants to have more professional leeway are due this week.
The sweeping rule requires all hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid to make several changes or formalize practices or risk losing federal funds.
The changes aim to curb use of antibiotics, protect patients from discrimination and address workforce shortages.
In addition to establishing and enforcing antibiotic stewardship programs, hospitals must designate qualified leaders of such programs. Hospitals must also inform patients in writing that they should not be discriminated against based on race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability.
The rule compels hospitals to identify what steps patients can take if they feel they have been mistreated.
In the June proposed rule, the CMS recommended eliminating the term “independent” for describing “licensed independent practitioners.” The agency felt this would clarify that support clinicians such as physician assistants could perform duties such as issuing orders to restrain a patient.
“The impact of this acknowledgement will be felt throughout the hospital community and will enable hospitals to utilize PAs more effectively and efficiently throughout their systems,” Jennifer Dorn, CEO of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, said in a comment.
The agency received more than 100 letters in the days leading up to the Aug. 15 deadline.
