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Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Centers (ASTC)

Definition:

A facility not under the operation or control of a hospital, which is primarily devoted to the provision of surgical treatment to patients not requiring hospitalization. Such facilities do not admit patients for treatment which normally require overnight stay, nor provide accommodations for treatment of patients for periods of 24 hours or longer.

Exemptions:

Federally owned and operated facilities.

Physicians' and dentists' private offices and treatment rooms in which such physicians and dentists primarily see, consult with, and treat patients.

Type Regulation:

State:  A facility must obtain a permit. 
 

Federal:  A center choosing to participate in federal programs must be certified. To obtain more information about certification and general information on Ambulatory Surgical Centers, visit the CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) website:

Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) Center

Legal Authority:

O.C.G.A. § 31-7-1, Title 31- Health; Chapter 7- Regulation and Construction of Hospitals and other Health Care Facilities; Article 1- Regulation of Hospitals and Related Institutions- Definitions
O.C.G.A. § 31-7-3, Title 31- Health; Chapter 7- Regulation and Construction of Hospitals and other Health Care Facilities; Article 1- Regulation of Hospitals and Related Institutions- Requirements for permits to operate institutions; (c)... Disaster Preparedness Plan.

O.C.G.A. § 31-7-5, Title 31- Health; Chapter 7- Regulation and Construction of Hospitals and other Health Care Facilities; Article 1- Regulation of Hospitals and Related Institutions- Exemptions from permit requirements; application of this chapter to federally operated institutions.

The following link will take you to the Georgia General Assembly, Georgia Code website.  Scroll down the page to find O.C.G.A. § 31-7-1, 31-7-3, and 31-7-5.

Official Code of Georgia Annotated

Rules:

State: 
• Rules and Regulations for Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Centers, Chapter 290-5-33, effective March 1, 1980. 

• Disaster Preparedness Plans, Chapter 290-5-45, effective June 7, 1984.

  

• Abortion clinics: Performance of Abortions after the First Trimester of Pregnancy and Reporting Requirements for all Abortions, Chapter 290-5-32, effective October 8, 1974.
  

• Federal:  Ambulatory Surgical Centers, CFR Title 42, Chapter IV, Part 416 (for those facilities that chose to be certified)

World Health Organization (WHO)- Safe Surgery Save Lives website
Provides technical resources and training materials to help improve the safety of care and facilitate the development of patient safety policy and practice. Available for download on the site is the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and Implementation Guide, as well as a Safe Surgery Saves Lives checklist training video.