Admissions, Discharges, And Transfers

(1) Every person admitted for care or treatment to any ASTC shall be under the supervision of a physician licensed to practice in Tennessee. The name, address and telephone number of the physician attending the patient shall be recorded in the patient’s medical record. (2) The above does not preclude the admission of a patient to an ASTC by a dentist or podiatrist licensed to practice in Tennessee with the concurrence of a physician member of the medical staff. (3) This does not preclude qualified oral and maxillo-facial surgeons from admitting patients and completing the admission history and physical examination and assessing the medical risk of the procedure on their patients. A physician member of the medical staff is responsible for the management of medical problems. (4) The facility shall ensure that no person on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or handicap, will be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in the provision of any care or service of the facility. The facility shall protect the civil rights of residents under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (5) For purposes of this chapter, the requirements for signature or countersignature by a physician, dentist, podiatrist or other person responsible for signing, countersigning or authenticating an entry may be satisfied by the electronic entry by such person of a unique code assigned exclusively to him or her, or by entry of other unique electronic or mechanical symbols, provided that such person has adopted same as his or her signature in accordance with established ASTC protocol or rules. (6) Each ASTC must have a written transfer agreement with a local hospital. (7) The ASTC shall develop a patient referral system both for referrals within the facility and other health care providers. (8) The ASTC shall have available a plan for emergency transportation to a licensed local hospital. STANDARDS FOR AMBULATORY SURGICAL TREATMENT CHAPTER 0720-20 CENTERS (9) The facility must ensure continuity of care and provide an effective discharge planning process that applies to all patients. The facility’s discharge planning process, including discharge policies and procedures, must be specified in writing and must: (a) Be developed and/or supervised by a registered nurse, social worker or other appropriately qualified personnel; (b) Begin upon admission; (c) Be provided when identified as a need by the patient, a person acting on the patient’s behalf, or by the physician; and (d) Include the likelihood of a patient’s capacity for self-care or the possibility of the patient returning to his or her pre-ambulatory surgical treatment center environment. (10) A discharge plan is required on every patient, even if the discharge is to home. (11) The facility must arrange for the initial implementation of the patient’s discharge plan and must reassess the patient’s discharge plan if there are factors that may affect continuing care needs or the appropriateness of the discharge plan. (12) As needed, the patient and family members or interested persons must be taught and/or counseled to prepare them for post-operative care.