In an interoffice memorandum (pdf) to the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC), the New York State Department of Public Health's Division of Health Facility Planning is recommending changes to streamline the certificate of need process for existing ambulatory surgery centers to add ophthalmology and endoscopy surgical services.
The planning board is recommending that the approval of existing ASCs to add these single specialty procedures be accomplished through administrative review rather than full review and without the solicitation of comments from hospitals when the addition of one of the specialties converts the ASC from single-specialty to full multi-specialty status.
Current policy requires proposals to add one or more surgical specialties to single-specialty ASCs undergo full review by the PHHPC. This policy also provides hospitals in the ASC's service area the opportunity to comment on any adverse impact the proposed added service would have on their own surgical services and revenues.
The DOH is proposing the following changes:
- Existing single-specialty ASCs should be allowed to add either ophthalmology or endoscopy, but not both, to their existing service through the submission of an administrative review CON application. The review of these applications would not require the solicitation of comments from area hospitals.
- If approved, ophthalmology or endoscopy would be added to the operator's existing ASC operating certificate as a second single specialty. The addition of a second specialty would not result in the ASC being certified as a multi-specialty facility.
- A request for the addition of a third single specialty would be treated as a request for conversion of the applicant ASC to a multi-specialty surgery ASC and would require approval by the PHHPC, preceded by the solicitation of comments from hospitals.
Part of the rationale behind the proposed changes is to increase patient access to colon cancer screenings, cataract removal and other procedures for age-related eye disorders.
The DOH is proposing that the addition of other single specialties to existing single-specialty ASCs, and the establishing of new single-specialty ASCs, remain subject to approval by the PHHPC and would involve the solicitation of comments from hospitals.
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