March 28, 2005

LOCKED ANESTHESIA CARTS – ASA wins over CMS to our view

Hospital surveyors will soon have no basis for insisting that anesthesia carts be locked between cases in the O.R.  CMS issued a proposed rule on March 25 that would change the applicable regulation to read “All drugs and biologicals must be kept in a secure area, and locked when appropriate.”  CMS’ comments indicate that the intent is to deem the operative suite a secure area, which is consistent with ASA’s own policy http://www.asahq.org/Washington/LockedCartPolicyFinalOct2003.pdf

 CMS' press release can be downloaded here.

The change is a proposal and is open for comments until May 24, 2005. Information on the change and instructions for filing comments – which we encourage ASA members to do – are available through this link.