Mass. tightens rules on hospital construction, technology reviews

BOSTON – The Mass. Public Health Council last week unanimously approved new rules that strengthen oversight of hospital building projects and large high-tech purchases, the first major changes in the “determination of need” program in more than 20 years, officials said.
“In order for us to ensure the continued success in health care reform, we need to have tools to help us better manage the health care system that we have today, not the one that existed two decades ago,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. JudyAnn Bigby said in a news release. “These new rules will add to our mosaic of efforts to promote efficiency and value and promote health care quality in Massachusetts.”
As part of the changes, the DoN program, administered by the Mass. Department of Public Health, will now cover the placement of inpatient satellite clinics by hospitals throughout the state, which were previously not covered by DoN regulations.
The changes also end the use of so-called “physician exemption letters” to acquire new medical technology for clinical practices, which allowed their holders to avoid the review process to determine whether costly new technology was needed.
“These changes will result in a fairer and more deliberative DoN process,” said DPH Commissioner John Auerbach. “If we are to control health care costs and maximize quality, we need a more rational and robust DoN process.”
Auerbach said the changes are only “the first step” in DoN reform efforts, and his department would continue to work with other state officials to identify further changes.
The new rules will take effect on Aug. 8. Details can be found at www.mass.gov/dph.