A Connecticut ambulatory surgery center is working to correct 23 violations after being fined $4,000 and put on 2 years' probation by state public health investigators last month.
The majority of the violations found at the Center for Ambulatory Surgery in Westport, Conn., "had to do with paperwork," according to Joel V. Singer, MD, a plastic surgeon and owner of the facility, who spoke to WestportNow. Since the deficiencies were found in early May, prompting the state Department of Public Health to temporarily suspend the center's license to operate, "I have been put on notice, and we have been complying," says Dr. Singer.
The paperwork-related deficiencies cited in a DPH report include the center's failure to document regular meetings of the governing board, credentialing information for clinical staff and proof that nurses were certified to perform CPR.
Investigators cited patient safety and infection control violations, too:
failure to hold regular fire drills;
presence of "used and soiled" surgical instruments in a sterile processing room;
use of outdated or undated medications, surgical needles and cleaning and scrub solutions;
lack of "official infection control practices";
failure to ensure completion of pre- and post-surgical patient assessments.
"I have basically corrected most of them, and we're still working on it and plan to have all the deficiencies corrected by the middle of this month," says Dr. Singer. He attributes the problems to "the change in the regulatory climate" that "has resulted in more stringent regimentation," and he likens the reprimand from DPH to a top-notch New York restaurant being closed down for "a few roaches."
He expects the surgery center to reopen by the end of the month, according to WestportNow.
Irene Tsikitas
