(a) The commissioner of health shall establish a task force in order to clarify the interpretive guidelines for reporting unusual events with regard to Class I and Class II surgical site infections. The commissioner shall make appropriate appointments, including a chair, to the task force. The task force shall report to the commissioner on its progress no later than one (1) year after its appointment.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-11-264

  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of health, the commissioner's authorized representative, or in the event of the commissioner's absence or a vacancy in the office of commissioner, the deputy commissioner of health. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
  • Department: means the department of health. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
  • Facility: means any institution, place or building providing health care services that is required to be licensed under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
  • Patient: includes , but is not limited to, any person who is suffering from an acute or chronic illness or injury or who is crippled, convalescent or infirm, or who is in need of obstetrical, surgical, medical, nursing or supervisory care. See Tennessee Code 68-11-201
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b)

(1) The committee established by the department of health to report in response to chapter 323 of the Public Acts of 2005 shall continue to meet at least biannually in order to evaluate the reporting of healthcare acquired infections and make recommendations to the department and the Tennessee improving patient safety coalition (TIPS) for improvements in patient safety efforts. The department shall consult with the committee and other bodies and individuals with recognized expertise to determine the manner in which data collected from healthcare facilities in the state shall be publicly reported. The database shall be organized and presented in a manner such that consumers, healthcare organizations, healthcare professionals, purchasers and payers may examine an individual facility‘s reporting of healthcare associated infection trends, and, where available, compare the information to statewide or national benchmarks. As national consensus standards for infection reporting are developed and published, the committee shall review these consensus standards and make additional recommendations. The department shall report to the Tennessee general assembly regarding recommendations for improvement on healthcare acquired infections and reporting requirements adopted by the subcommittee on infections and the TIPS committee. The report shall include the department’s response.
(2) The department of health is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to update reporting requirements as recommended by the committee.
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