On July 6, 2018, the CMS Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (QSO) issued a revision to QSO policy memorandum 17-30 titled “Requirement to Reduce Legionella Risk in Healthcare Facility Water Systems to Prevent Cases and Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ Disease (LD).” The intent of this revision is to clarify current expectations for providers, accrediting organizations and surveyors regarding the requirements and standards of practice to prevent legionella infections.
On July 10, 2018, the WI DHS Division of Public Health’s Bureau of Communicable Diseases issued a memo regarding increased cases of laboratory-confirmed Legionnaires’ Disease that requests the assistance of WI healthcare providers with detecting and reporting cases of the disease to help determine possible sources of exposure to Legionella.
The Division of Quality Assurance urges all healthcare providers to review the information in this announcement and take appropriate action as needed.
If you have any questions, please contact Anna Kocharian, Communicable Diseases Epidemiologist (608- 267-9004 or anna.kocharian@wi.gov) or the DPH Bureau of Communicable Diseases at 608-267-9003.