The information below comes from the statement of deficiencies compiled by health inspectors and provided to AHCJ by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It does not include the steps the hospital plans to take to fix the problem, known as a plan of correction. For that information, you should contact the hospital, your state health department or CMS. Accessing the document may require you to file a Freedom of Information Request. Information on doing so is available here.

BAYSTATE MEDICAL CENTER 759 CHESTNUT STREET SPRINGFIELD, MA 01199 March 15, 2018
VIOLATION: INFECTION CONTROL OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES Tag No: A0749
Based on observation and interview the Hospital failed to adhere to the manufacturer's direction for use of the enzymatic cleaner used to pre-clean the reusable nasal scopes at the Hospital's Cancer Center.

The Surveyor toured the Cancer Center's reprocessing room and interviewed Technician #3 at 10:35 A.M. on 3/15/18. Technician #3 said that the room was used to High Level Disinfect (the process of complete elimination of all microorganisms in or on a medical device, except for small numbers of bacterial spores) the nasal scopes between patients.

Technician #3 demonstrated the numerous manual steps to achieve High Level Disinfection. Technician #3 said the enzymatic cleaning solution that was used prior to the High Level Disinfectant was changed at the same time that the disinfectant was changed, fourteen days, unless the enzymatic cleaner became visibly soiled. According to the manufacturer's directions on the bottle, the solution was to be discarded after each use.