2026 was an interesting time for health care providers with Federal and state law changes, updates to Critical Access Hospital regulations, and Acute hospitals interpretative guidelines and survey procedures impacting several areas of Appendix A, respectively. Federal and Appellate court actions on OB emergency care and record requests seemed to change daily.
This webinar will cover the new Interpretive Guidelines for Acute hospitals in five sections, and newly released regulations for Critical Access Hospitals, some of which mirror regulations already present for Acute hospitals. There will also be a brief discussion of the multiple CMS memos that either expired or were rescinded this year. These changes and updates are not reflected in the current manuals, but hospitals must nonetheless comply. Hospitals that accept Medicare and Medicaid payments must comply with these changes for all patients, regardless of the payment source.
Learning Objectives:-
At the conclusion of part one, participants should be able to:
Outline:-
ACUTE APPENDIX A UPDATES
MOON
Patient Rights
Quality Assessment Performance Improvement Program
Nursing Services
Physical Environment
Infection Prevention and Control and ASP
Discharge Planning
Emergency Services Readiness and Preparedness
Obstetrical Services – New Section
Psychiatric Hospitals/Units
CRITICAL ACCESS NEW REGULATIONS
Location and Off-Campus
Patient Rights
Emergency Services
Physical Plant and Emergency Preparedness
Provision of Services
Quality Assessment Performance Improvement
Swing Beds
Obstetrical Services – New Section
Expired or Rescinded Memos
Resources
Who Should Attend?
Laura A. Dixon served as the Director, Facility Patient Safety and Risk Management, and Operations for COPIC from 2014 to 2020. In her role, Ms. Dixon provided patient safety and risk management consulting and training to facilities, practitioners, and staff in multiple states.
Such services included the creation of presentations on risk management topics, assessment of healthcare facilities; and development of programs and compilation of reference materials that complement physician-oriented products.
Ms. Dixon has more than twenty years of clinical experience in acute care facilities, including critical care, coronary care, peri-operative services, and pain management. Prior to joining COPIC, she served as the Director of, Western Region, Patient Safety, and Risk Management for The Doctors Company, Napa, California.
In this capacity, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation to the physicians and staff in the western United States. Ms. Dixon’s legal experience includes representation of clients for Social Security Disability Insurance providing legal counsel and representation at disability hearings and appeals, medical malpractice defense, and representation of nurses before the Colorado Board of Nursing.
As a registered nurse and attorney, Laura holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University, RECEP of Denver, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Drake University College of Law, Des Moines, Iowa, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Saint Luke’s School Professional Nursing, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.