AR HB1852

Health facilities participating in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program must authorize the Department of Health to access infection data submitted to the National Healthcare Safety Network.

The Department of Health may access the facility name and all information submitted to the National Healthcare Safety Network to satisfy Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program requirements.

Data obtained by the Department of Health from the National Healthcare Safety Network database may only be used for surveillance and prevention purposes and cannot be used for regulatory purposes.

Health facilities must collect data on healthcare-associated infection rates including central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units and other categories determined by the Department of Health.

The Department of Health may add additional infection categories after release of the second annual report, following consultation with the Advisory Committee on Healthcare Acquired Infections and technical experts, in compliance with the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act.