As you may have heard, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have issued revised Interpretive Guidelines governing CMS surveys. Several ASTS members have raised serious concerns around areas such as the new requirement that the supervising surgeon be in the OR “skin to skin,” that the Independent Living Donor Advocate not be associated with the transplant program even on a temporary or intermittent basis, and that the transplant director be involved in providing feedback regarding nursing staff working with transplant recipients or donors.
ASTS is working to ensure that CMS is aware of transplant center concerns and the potential unintended consequences of the new guidelines. We will keep you informed as our work on this issue progresses.
If you have particular concerns about the IGs, please contact Jennifer Nelson-Dowdy, ASTS Advocacy Manager, who is compiling a list of issues to address.