Influenza-like illness (ILI) surge and options for surge management. The program office for the State Hospital Preparedness Program has shared the following regarding influenza-like illness (ILI) surge and options for surge management:

Any requests for approval of bed increase or alternation, temporary facilities including soft structures, or other alterations to operations will need to be routed through the appropriate regulatory section at DHSR. Before we can clear any of these alterations that are utilizing SMRS equipment, the DHSR section will need to have approved. A couple of reminders: per CMS, billing cannot be completed in soft structures and you cannot move patients from a hard to soft structure.

Second, the Acute Care Section shared the regulation on alteration of bed capacity that is listed below for reference.

Finally, 1135 waivers require both the US HHS Secretary to declare a public health emergency and a Presidential declaration under the National Emergencies Act or Stafford Act. More information on current waivers can be found here.

10A NCAC 13B .3111       TEMPORARY CHANGE IN BED CAPACITY

(a)  A hospital may temporarily increase its bed capacity by up to 10 percent over its licensed bed capacity, as determined by the administrator, by utilizing observational beds for inpatients for a period of no more than 60 consecutive days following approval by the Division of Health Service Regulation.

(b)  To qualify for a temporary change in licensed capacity, the hospital census shall be at least 90 percent of its licensed bed capacity, excluding beds that are under renovation or construction, and the hospital must demonstrate conditions requiring the temporary increase that may include but are not limited to the following:

(1)           natural disaster;

(2)           catastrophic event; or

(3)           disease epidemic.

(c)  The Division may approve a temporary increase in licensed beds only if:

(1)           It is determined that the request has met the requirements of Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule; and

(2)           The hospital administrator certifies that the physical facilities to be used are adequate to safeguard the health and safety of patients. However this approval shall be revoked if the Division determines, as a result of a physical site visit, that these safeguards are not adequate to safeguard the health and safety of patients.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131E-79;

Eff. April 1, 2003;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. July 22, 2017.