Ambulatory Surgical Center where Joan Rivers Died at Risk of Losing License

Last month, we wrote a short blog about the questions surrounding Joan Rivers’ death during what was to have been a routine endoscopy.  The procedure took place at Yorkville Endoscopy, a fully accredited surgical center located in Manhattan. From the day after her high-profile death until October 9, the ASC has been under investigation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Jim Burger of Outpatient Surgery Magazine reported on this in his article Joan Rivers’ Clinic May Lose License. The CMS investigation resulted in the clinic being cited with four deficiencies.  Burger reported that these were lack of compliance with: governing body and management, surgical services, medical staff and patient rights issues.

The clinic has until January 7, 2015 to address and remedy these deficiencies; otherwise it will lose its operating license. 

So what does this mean for surgical centers across the United States? According to the president of the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, Geoffey Keyes, MD, “the actual incidence of [death in a surgical center] is very, very low.” Unfortunately, because Rivers was such a high-profile case, people may be more cautious about trusting non-hospital facilities when going in for surgical procedures and may need to be assured of their safety.

You can read the full article here.