January 2008 - The Department of Health (DOH) has designated the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) as an authorized agency to be used by office-based surgery practices to meet new accreditation requirements in New York . “AAAASF has worked with the State of New York over the last several years to assist in the development of the new law, and we believe that New York has taken a critical step to help ensure patient safety by requiring careful oversight of the office-based ambulatory medical and surgical care environment. We are appreciative of the confidence the DOH has expressed in AAAASF by choosing us to continue to work with them in the implementation and monitoring of this important legislative initiative,” says AAAASF President Dr. Alan Gold.

The New York law requires office-based surgery performed by physicians requiring moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia, and certain liposuction procedures be performed in a setting that has obtained and maintained accreditation from an entity approved by the state Health Commissioner.

In New York and throughout the country, AAAASF already accredits more office-based surgery facilities than any other accrediting body and is reaching out to all physicians to offer a helping hand. “We offer a concise, user-friendly set of standards that focuses on patient safety and best practices. Over the last several years, we have refined our standards and have tried to eliminate the busy work for facilities,” says Jeff Pearcy, Executive Director. One component of the law requires reporting of unanticipated events after surgery to the State. AAAASF has already been requiring this type of reporting along with random case reviews for the last seven years.

AAAASF has been accrediting office-based surgery facilities since 1980 and many members of the board of directors have been key players in the development of the process for over a decade. “I have seen the accreditation industry incubate during my years of service at AAAASF, and my support for the process has never wavered. The significance of third party inspection, accreditation and peer review has gained tremendous validity as more states are incorporating accreditation concepts into laws, “ says Dr. Gold. “ CMS recently deferred future Medicare inspections to Deeming Authorities such as AAAASF,” adds Dr. Gold.

“The benefits of the accreditation process have never been so evident. However, we do understand the anxiety and intimidation that surfaces when physicians are mandated to comply, so AAAASF offers the most comprehensive customer service support in the industry to help them through the process,” he concludes.

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