As the founder of Gateway Surgery Center in Phoenix and an orthopedic surgeon, David Ott, MD, is in a good position to understand how the quality of a surgery center affects clinical care. In an interview with Becker's ASC Review, he discussed Gateway Surgery Center's recent AAAHC accreditation and how the center has been able to keep quality high in the midst of stricter regulations.
"There are all these new regulations by CMS that are coming out with documentation, and the amount of administrative work is burdensome," he said, echoing the concerns of many surgery center administrators. "For example, every case now has to have an operation note that details pre- and post-operation diagnoses of patients, the particular procedure that was done and resulting complications, if there were any." While surgery center administrators see the merit of such thoroughness, staffing a center to complete the newly required operation notes can be a challenge.
Dr. Ott said his center met the requirement by hiring a new full-time nurse who floats between various parts of the center to ensure documentation is completed. Like many ASC founders, Dr. Ott has found success in using one staff member to fill multiple roles — in this case, a nurse, an administrator and an oversight provider.
Dr. Ott is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a member of the Arizona Medical Association, Arizona Orthopaedic Society, Western Orthopaedic Association and Orthopaedic Trauma Alliance. In addition to his work with Gateway Surgery Center, he is affiliated with Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and St. Joseph's Outpatient Surgery Center, all in Phoenix.
Dr. Ott earned his MD from the University of California in Los Angeles and completed his general surgery internship and residency at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. He was board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1990.
Read more on notable surgery center leaders:
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Dennis Martin of Health Inventures
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Dr. Michael Bukstein of Northeast Missouri Surgery Center
"There are all these new regulations by CMS that are coming out with documentation, and the amount of administrative work is burdensome," he said, echoing the concerns of many surgery center administrators. "For example, every case now has to have an operation note that details pre- and post-operation diagnoses of patients, the particular procedure that was done and resulting complications, if there were any." While surgery center administrators see the merit of such thoroughness, staffing a center to complete the newly required operation notes can be a challenge.
Dr. Ott said his center met the requirement by hiring a new full-time nurse who floats between various parts of the center to ensure documentation is completed. Like many ASC founders, Dr. Ott has found success in using one staff member to fill multiple roles — in this case, a nurse, an administrator and an oversight provider.
Dr. Ott is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a member of the Arizona Medical Association, Arizona Orthopaedic Society, Western Orthopaedic Association and Orthopaedic Trauma Alliance. In addition to his work with Gateway Surgery Center, he is affiliated with Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and St. Joseph's Outpatient Surgery Center, all in Phoenix.
Dr. Ott earned his MD from the University of California in Los Angeles and completed his general surgery internship and residency at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. He was board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1990.
Read more on notable surgery center leaders:
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Dennis Martin of Health Inventures
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Dr. Michael Bukstein of Northeast Missouri Surgery Center