What is SCIONx?

SCIONx is a web-based system that allows physicians, nurses, and lab professionals to notify DPH when a patient has any of the required reportable diseases. It is designed to make fulfilling this important provider responsibility as quick and simple as possible.

SCIONx is used to report most reportable diseases, but SCIONx is currently not used to report Tuberculosis or Lead.

Background

Compared to active surveillance, cumulative antibiograms can offer a relatively feasible, easy, accurate and inexpensive method to collect and predict antimicrobial susceptibility rates in a given geographic region. Aggregate reporting of antibiograms may fail to identify the influence of surrounding communities and will not allow for patient- or case-specific data as is the case in active surveillance.

The Healthcare Quality "FYI Friday" newsletter is a facility-focused newsletter for the regulated community meant to proactively provide tips and reminders about resources and regulations. Expect it in your inbox on the first Friday of the month.

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The  Promoting Interoperability Programs, formerly known as the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs, and more commonly known as Meaningful Use, was implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to encourage healthcare providers and organizations to implement and use health care information technology.

Meaningful Use includes public health reporting options. DHEC offers the following programs for eligible clinicians, hospitals, and critical access hospitals:

Health Insurance Benefit (HIB) Program

The Health Insurance Benefit (HIB) Program processes initial applications for Medicare certification, and conducts recertification surveys of Hospitals, Home Health Agencies, Portable X-Ray, Rehabilitation Agencies, Rural Health Clinics, End Stage Renal Disease Facilities, Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Hospices, and Swing Bed Units of Hospitals.

Part 488 Survey, Certification and Enforcement Procedures

• Part 488 Subpart E Section 488.332 Investigation of Complaints of Violations and Monitoring of Compliance
• Part 488 Subpart E Section 488.335 Action on Complaints of Resident Neglect and Abuse; and Misappropriation of Resident Property

Part 431 State, Organization and General Administration

Civil Money Penalties (CMPs) are monetary penalties imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) against nursing homes that have failed to maintain compliance with federal requirements. A portion of CMPs collected from nursing homes are returned to the states in which the CMPs were imposed and may be reinvested or used for projects supporting activities that benefit nursing home residents and that protect and improve their quality of care or quality of life. CMP funds may be used for, but not limited to the following:

Nursing homes may not be established, operated, or maintained in South Carolina without first obtaining a state license from DPH in a manner provided by Article 3, Chapter 7, Title 44 of the South Carolina Code of Laws and DPH regulations. Licensed nursing homes may volunteer to participate in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, and DPH is charged with enforcing the federal standards on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). DPH ensures nursing homes in South Carolina comply with state licensing and federal health and safety standards.