OasisLMS

wednesday May 13 
10 -11 a.m.

Laura A. Dixon, BS, JD, RN, CPHRM

Laura A. Dixon served as the director of risk management and patient safety for the Colorado Region of Kaiser Permanente. Prior to joining Kaiser, she served as the director, facility patient safety and risk management and operations for COPIC from 2014 to 2020. In her role, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation and training to facilities, practitioners, and staff in multiple states.

Dixon has more than 20 years of clinical experience in acute care facilities, including critical care, coronary care, peri-operative services, and pain management. Prior to joining COPIC, she served as the director, Western region, patient safety and risk management for The Doctors Company in Napa, California. In this capacity, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation to the physicians and staff for the western United States

As a registered nurse and attorney, Dixon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University, RECEP of Denver, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Drake University College of Law, Des Moines, Iowa, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Saint Luke’s School Professional Nursing, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.

This speaker has no real or perceived conflicts of interest that relate to this presentation

On March 27, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published interpretive guidelines and survey procedures for the recent updates for Acute Care and Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) regarding emergency services.

The new requirements address all patients, and cover protocols, provisions, and staff training. They also include care of postpartum patients with pregnancy-related emergencies.

This program will cover the new regulations, interpretive guidelines, and more stringent survey procedures for protocols and provisions. Updates for staff training, quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) and transfer requirements are still pending. 

At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:

• Describe the new requirement for emergency services in Acute Care and CAHs.
• Recall possible medical and surgical emergencies to be considered.
• Discuss potential obstetrical emergencies to be considered.
• Describe the three key elements assessed for compliance during a survey. 

The Georgia Hospital Association Research & Education Foundation is an approved provider of nursing home administrator credits as a professional trade association in long term care under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 393-13-.02, (1) (a).  Approved for 1 contact hour.