GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1047

Short Title:  Recovery Care Centers.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senator Edwards.

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Referred to:  Children and Human Resources

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May 4, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CREATE RECOVERY CARE CENTERS BY ALLOWING CERTAIN AMBULATORY SURGICAL FACILITIES TO ADMIT PATIENTS FOR UP TO SEVENTY-TWO HOURS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a) G.S. 131E-146(1) reads as rewritten: 
"(1)	 'Ambulatory surgical facility' means a facility designed for the provision of an ambulatory surgical program. An ambulatory surgical facility serves patients who require local, regional or general anesthesia and a period of post-operative observation. An ambulatory surgical facility may only admit patients for a period of less than 24 hours unless otherwise authorized by this subdivision and shall provide at least one designated operating room and at least one designated recovery room, have available the necessary equipment and trained personnel to handle emergencies, provide adequate quality assurance and assessment by an evaluation and review committee, and maintain adequate medical records for each patient. An ambulatory surgical facility may be operated as a part of a physician's or dentist's office, provided the facility is licensed under G.S. Chapter 131E, Article 6, Part D, but the performance of incidental, limited ambulatory surgical procedures that do not constitute an ambulatory surgical program as defined in subdivision (1a) of this section and that are performed in a physician's or dentist's office does not make that office an ambulatory surgical facility.  An ambulatory surgical facility that has received a certificate of need for a multispecialty ambulatory surgical facility may admit patients needing extended recovery care for a period not to exceed 72 hours.  This facility may operate a number of extended recovery beds that shall not exceed the number of operating rooms licensed by the Department of Human Resources.  This facility shall (i) meet all other requirements of this subdivision and this Chapter, (ii) be accredited by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, Inc., (JCAHCO) or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc., (AAAHC), and (iii) shall report to the Medical Database Commission on an annual basis regarding its operation."
(b) G.S. 131E-146(1a) reads as rewritten:
"(1a)	 'Ambulatory surgical program' means a formal program for providing on a same-day basis unless otherwise authorized by this subdivision, those surgical procedures that require local, regional or general anesthesia and a period of post-operative observation to patients whose admission for more than 24 hours is determined, prior to surgery, to be medically unnecessary, or for a period of time not to exceed 72 hours pursuant to the exception set out in subdivision (1) of this section."
Sec. 2.  (a) G.S. 131E-176(1a) reads as rewritten:
"(1a)	'Ambulatory surgical facility' means a facility designed for the provision of an ambulatory surgical program. An ambulatory surgical facility serves patients who require local, regional or general anesthesia and a period of post-operative observation. An ambulatory surgical facility may only admit patients for a period of less than 24 hours unless otherwise authorized by this subdivision and shall provide at least one designated operating room and at least one designated recovery room, have available the necessary equipment and trained personnel to handle emergencies, provide adequate quality assurance and assessment by an evaluation and review committee, and maintain adequate medical records for each patient. An ambulatory surgical facility may be operated as a part of a physician's or dentist's office, provided the facility is licensed under G.S. Chapter 131E, Article 6, Part D, but the performance of incidental, limited ambulatory surgical procedures that do not constitute an ambulatory surgical program as defined in subdivision (1a) of this section and that are performed in a physician's or dentist's office does not make that office an ambulatory surgical facility.  An ambulatory surgical facility that has received a certificate of need for a multispecialty ambulatory surgical facility may admit patients needing extended recovery care for a period not to exceed 72 hours.  This facility may operate a number of extended recovery beds that shall not exceed the number of operating rooms licensed by the Department of Human Resources.  This facility shall (i) meet all other requirements of this subdivision and this Chapter, (ii) be accredited by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, Inc., (JCAHCO) or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc., (AAAHC), and (iii) shall report to the Medical Database Commission on an annual basis regarding its operation."
(b) G.S. 131E-176(1b) reads as rewritten:
"(1b)	'Ambulatory surgical program' means a formal program for providing on a same-day basis unless otherwise authorized by this subdivision, those surgical procedures that require local, regional or general anesthesia and a period of post-operative observation to patients whose admission for more than 24 hours is determined, prior to surgery, to be medically unnecessary, or for a period of time not to exceed 72 hours pursuant to the exception set out in subdivision (1) of this section."
Sec. 3.  The Division of Medical Assistance, Department of Human Resources, shall adopt a Medicaid payment methodology to chart the needs of the expanded ambulatory surgical facilities and services provided by this act.
Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective October 1, 1995, and applies to admissions on or after that date.