The policy change requires that a physician privileged by the hospital to supervise be present whenever outpatient therapeutic services are provided in a hospital outpatient department, whether the department is within the hospital’s main facility or located on or off the hospital campus, according to the release.
Previously, 12 national organizations had signed a letter to CMS that raised concerns the groups had about the policy impacting patients’ access to services, especially in rural areas and communities where there are serious physician shortages.
Read the AHA release about the request to CMS to withdraw its physician supervision policy change.
