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5-Step Enrollment for Acute Care Hospitals/Facilities
Note: Once your facility is enrolled in NHSN, you can add additional reporting options using your monthly reporting plan or activating a new component within the NHSN application. You do not need to re-enroll for each type of event reported.
Step 1: Enrollment Preparation
Read NHSN Facility Administrator Enrollment Guide [PDF – 1 MB]
Complete the 57.103 Patient Safety Component – Annual Facility Survey form [PDF – 92 KB]
Table of Instructions for Patient Safety Component – Annual Hospital Survey 57.103 [PDF – 412 KB]
NHSN Critical Access Hospital Enrollment Guide [PDF – 300 KB]
Be sure to check trusted websites and spam blockers.
Time to complete step 1: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Step 2: Register Facility with NHSN
Read and agree to the NHSN Rules of Behavior. You will then be redirected to electronically register your facility with NHSN.
Note: The NHSN Facility Contact form [PDF – 80 KB] may be used to manually collect required registration information prior to electronically entering the data into NHSN
Time to complete step 2: 10 minutes
After registration, you will receive two emails: ‘Welcome to NHSN!’ (immediately from NHSN)
and ‘Invitation to Register with SAMS’ (from SAMS-no-reply within 24 hours).
Step 3a: Register with SAMS Partner Portal
You will receive an email from the “U.S. Centers for Disease Control: SAMS Partner Portal – Invitation to Register.” It will include a web link to the SAMS registration page along with your assigned SAMS Partner Portal User ID (email address) and a temporary password. Please click on the link and enter the SAMS Partner Portal User ID and temporary password when prompted. Then follow the onscreen instructions to register and accept the SAMS Rules of Behavior.
Note: After being invited to SAMS, you have 30 days to complete the registration process.
Time to complete step 3a: 16 minutes
Step 3b: Identity Proofing Verification (if applicable)
After successful online registration, you will receive an “Identity Verification Request” email from SAMS with instructions and a request to provide proof of your identity. SAMS supports two options for validating your identity using the New online preferred method Experian or the current secured document submission process.
*Please follow the instructions carefully for your selected identity verification option, to ensure timely processing.
Time to complete step 3b: 35 minutes
Step 4: Access Approval and Account Activation
Once your information is received and approved, you will receive your approval by email from sams-no-reply@cdc.gov. The subject will be “U.S. Centers for Disease Control: SAMS Partner Portal – SAMS Activity Authorization.” This email will contain web links to the SAMS Partner Portal and to the application. If you are approved for two or more applications, you will receive a separate email for each one. You will also receive a welcome email confirming the activation of your SAMS Partner Portal account.
You are now ready to access your applications and the SAMS Partner Portal.
The NHSN application requires users to be strongly authenticated. This means users must have an additional ‘token’, along with their password, to log in. The first option is a soft token that requires the installation of an Entrust Authenticator application on your phone, tablet, or computer. The second option is a hard token which is a physical Entrust grid card mailed to your home address. SAMS will communicate this authentication requirement to you in email along with instructions on how to complete the setup after account activation.
Note: Your SAMS grid card should be delivered to your home address via U.S. mail within 2 weeks after you receive your SAMS approval email. If you do not receive your SAMS grid card within two weeks, contact samshelp@cdc.gov for assistance.
Time to complete step 4: 32 minutes
Step 5a: Complete NHSN Enrollment
After setting up your credential device (via token or receiving your SAMS grid card), login to SAMS. Under the SAMS Multi-factor Login picture, click Login. On the SAMS home page, select ‘NHSN Enrollment’ to complete electronic enrollment for the desired component.
Time to complete step 5a: 40 minutes
Shortly after successfully submitting the forms, the Facility Administrator
and Primary Contact will receive a “NHSN Facility Enrollment Submitted” email.
Step 5b: Accept “NHSN Agreement to Participate and Consent”
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.
Note: The consent form must be accepted within 60 days or the facility will be withdrawn.
Time to complete step 5b: 5 minutes
Congratulations, enrollment is complete!
Complete NHSN ACH specific training if not previously done.
