DHMH Seeks Public Comment on Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
In 2012, three Maryland residents became seriously ill during an outbreak of Group A Streptococcus at a cosmetic surgical facility in Baltimore County. One person died. This episode brought to light gaps in the oversight of cosmetic surgical procedures in Maryland.
With support from DHMH, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation in the 2013 session providing for stricter oversight of cosmetic surgical procedures. The legislation authorizes the Secretary of DHMH to adopt regulations for certain higher risk cosmetic surgical procedures. The new law can be viewed online at: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/chapters_noln/Ch_398_hb1009T.pdf
To assist in developing the regulations, the Department is seeking input on several key questions:
Which procedures should be covered by the regulations? How should these procedures be identified and defined? In answering this question, please reference available studies, reports, and other literature related to:
The safety or risks of the procedure;
The education and training of the health care practitioners administering anesthesia for the procedure;
The education and training of the health care practitioners performing the procedure; and
The setting in which the procedure is performed.
For covered procedures, should the Department develop an approach to licensing that relies exclusively on external accreditation of facilities, or also develop its own regulations? Please explain your reasoning.
Other than the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health, and The Joint Commission, are there other entities offering accreditation that the Department should consider accepting as sufficient for or supportive of licensure?
If the Department should develop regulatory standards separate from those required for accreditation, what should these standards cover?
How, if at all, should the regulations differ from the regulations governing ambulatory surgical centers?
Comments will be accepted through July 8, 2013, by Michele Phinney, Director, Office of Regulation and Policy Coordination. Please submit via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via postal mail to Michele Phinney, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 201 W. Preston St., Room 512, Baltimore, MD 21201. For more information, please visit: http://dhmh.maryland.gov/SitePages/Cosmetic%20Surgery%20Regulations.aspx
