Purpose – CMS currently requires that all acute care hospitals, long term acute

Purpose – CMS currently requires that all acute care hospitals, long term acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and outpatient dialysis centers participating in the Prospective Payment System (PPS) report specific measures related to HAI’s and infection prevention to CDC via NHSN. CMS currently publishes selected measures on the Hospital Compare website for the previous reporting year. As a mechanism of responding to specific HAI’s exceeding acceptable thresholds, MSDH Department of Epidemiology will use these data to respond to specific outbreaks or aberrant events in collaboration with facilities involved. Facility-specific data obtained from NHSN by MSDH will be used for epidemiological purposes related to prevention and surveillance and will not be disclosed to third parties by MSDH. MSDH will also assist facilities to improve reporting where deficiencies are identified.