Section 551.31. Licensure

(a) A Class A ASF shall meet the following criteria:

(1) A license is not required for the operation of a Class A ASF. The facility shall be accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities or another Nationally recognized accrediting agency acknowledged by the Medicare Program in order to be identified as providing ambulatory surgery.

(2) A Class A ASF shall register with the Department and shall forward a copy of its accreditation survery to the Department.

(3) The Class A registration form shall request the following information, which shall also be provided to the Department by the Class A ASF on an annual basis.

(i) A list of operative procedures proposed to be performed at the facility and the ages of the patients to be served.

(ii) The type of anesthetic proposed to be used for each operative procedure.

(iii) The facility’s current accreditation survey and the designation of accreditation status by the Nationally recognized accrediting agency.

(iv) Other information the Department deems pertinent to registration requirements.

(b) A license shall be obtained to operate a freestanding Class B or Class C ASF.

(c) An ASF license shall designate the licensed facility as either a Class B or Class C.

(d) An applicant for a license to operate an ASF shall request licensure by the Department by means of written communication which sets forth:

(1) A list of operative procedures proposed to be performed at the facility and the ages of the patients to be served.

(2) The highest level of anesthetic proposed to be used for each proposed operative procedure.

(3) The highest PS patient level proposed to receive ambulatory surgery at the facility.

(4) A statement from the applicant which may be accompanied by a written opinion from a Nationally recognized accrediting body stating the most appropriate facility Class (B or C).

(e) If a facility desires to change its classification level from a Class B enterprise to a Class C enterprise, the facility shall request and obtain a license prior to providing services to ASF Class III or PS-III patients.

(f) The Department may enter and inspect an ASF (Class A, B or C), at any time, announced or unannounced, to investigate any complaints. The Department may mandate closure of an ASF that the Department determines is providing substandard care or for any other lawful reason.

The provisions of this § 551.31 amended October 22, 1999, effective November 22, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 5583. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (251638).

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 551.53 (relating to presurvey preparation).