A new California law will be effective Jan. 1, 2016 for ASCs mandating the facilities become accredited and grant privileges just to appropriately credentialed physicians, according to a Lexology report.
Here are five key notes:
1. The new law builds upon current laws requiring ASCs and office-based surgical facilities to have appropriately qualified and credentialed, and for facilities without a state-license or Medicare certification to obtain accreditation or Medical Board of California approval.
2. The new law requires facilities to conduct a peer review as well as obtain reports on any medical staff applicants and members from their professional licensing board, according to the report.
3. The state's ASCs and office-based surgical practices are also subject to unannounced accreditation inspections. Some centers may receive a notice the inspection would occur within 60 days.
4. Accredited facilities are required to update medical staff bylaws, policies and procedures according to the new law for the peer evaluation process.
5. The ASC should know whether current staff or staff applying for a position at the center has been denied staff privileges elsewhere, removed from a medical staff or had privileges restricted.