Here are some commonly neglected risk exposures of offering new spine surgery services that Ms. Hiatt shared:
• Consent. Centers often fail to include specific risks related to the procedure or implant in the patient informed consent form.
• Credentialing and privileging. ASCs often fail to add appropriate credentials and privileges before performing new procedures.
• Contractual services. A common mistake is to fail to verify qualifications and knowledge of people providing contracted services in the facility.
• Staff training. ASCs may not provide adequate training to staff related to preoperative surgical clearance and patient education.
• Special considerations. Many informed consent documents do not include aspects of the procedure that may conflict with a patient’s religion.
More Articles on Risk Management:
New Technologies to Make Spine Surgery Safer: Q&A With Dr. William Sonstein
5 Risk Factors for Orthopedic Surgery Patient Readmissions
The Engineering of Better Joint Replacement Outcomes: Q&A With Dr. Geoffrey Westrich of Hospital for Special Surgery
