5-Step Enrollment for Ambulatory Surgery Centers
Note: The following instructions are for ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) that must enroll in NHSN for the purpose of fulfilling CMS’s Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program requirements. Participating CMS-licensed ASCs will be required to report healthcare personnel vaccination summary data via NHSN beginning with the 2014-2015 influenza season. Detailed operational guidance, training, and other information for this reporting are available at NHSN ASC Surveillance for Healthcare Personnel Vaccination .
If your facility is already enrolled in NHSN, e.g. because your state requires your facility to report surgical site infections, it does not have to be re-enrolled. Your NHSN Facility Administrator may simply activate the Healthcare Personnel Safety Component in NHSN.
Print and follow detailed checklist, October 2019 pdf icon[PDF – 200 KB] to ensure successful and efficient enrollment.
Complete the HCP Influenza Vaccination Summary: Ambulatory Surgery Centers. September 2015 pdf icon[PDF – 3M] training.
Be sure to check trusted websites and spam blockers.
Time to complete step 1: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Agree to Rules of Behavior and register facility with NHSN using CMS Certification Number (CCN) or CDC assigned enrollment ID.
Time to complete step 2: 10 minutes
After registration, you will receive two emails: ‘Welcome to NHSN!’
arrives from NHSN immediately and ‘Invitation to Register’
arrives from SAMS-no-reply within 24 hours.
From the ‘Invitation to Register’ email, log in to SAMS with your username (i.e., email address) and temporary password provided. Accept the SAMS Rules of Behavior and complete the online SAMS registration form.
Time to complete step 3a: 16 minutes
Within 24 hours of successful online registration,
receive SAMS ‘Identity Verification Request’ email.
From the ‘Identity Verification Request’ email, print the Identity Verification Form, complete it, and take it to a notary public for endorsement. Fax the form and supporting documentation to CDC. You will receive ‘SAMS Account Activation’ and ‘SAMS Activity Authorization’ emails when your access is approved.
To access SAMS, you must receive your SAMS grid card, which will be delivered to your home address via U.S. mail within 7-10 days of your SAMS approval email. If you do not receive your grid card within 10 days, please contact samshelp@cdc.gov for assistance.
Time to complete step 3b: 35 minutes
Within 1-3 days of successful online registration,
receive SAMS ‘Identity Verification Request’ email.
Log in to SAMS using your password and SAMS grid card and select ‘NHSN Enrollment.’ Submit required NHSN forms, including facility contact information.
Time to complete step 4: 32 minutes
Shortly after successfully submitting the forms, the Facility Administrator
and Primary Contact will receive a “NHSN Facility Enrollment Submitted” email.
Login to NHSN, select the appropriate component, and review the “Agreement to Participate and Consent”. Check the box to ‘Accept’ next to the appropriate contact name and then ‘Submit’ the form in each component.
Time to complete step 5: 5 minutes
Congratulations, enrollment is complete!
