LTC Updates:

Reminder is for facilities within the Patient Safety Component of NHSN that participate in the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program
Beginning in 2024, reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module will be required under the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange objective of the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program. Eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals are required to be in active engagement with CDC to report both AU and AR data. Facilities will receive a report from NHSN indicating their successful submission of AUR data for the EHR reporting period or claim an applicable exclusion.

The first step in active engagement is registering intent to submit AUR data within the NHSN system. This action must be performed by the facility administrator. Registration of intent must be completed within 60 days after the start of the EHR reporting period. Once this step is completed, NHSN will begin requesting test files. Per the CMS measure specifications, hospitals should respond to the request for test files within 30 days. Failure to respond twice within an EHR reporting period will result in that eligible hospital not meeting the measure.

If hospitals have any questions about NHSN AUR Reporting, they may reach out to the Surveillance for Healthcare-Associated and Resistant Pathogens (SHARP) Unit at [email protected].

For more information and additional resources, please see the materials in the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance section of CMS Reporting Requirements for Acute Care Hospitals page.