For a busy ambulatory surgery center, the ripple effect of these storms can last days. Canceled surgeries must be rescheduled while pre-admission nurses are left scrambling to play catch-up on pre-admission calls. As patients and clinical staff attempt to make up for lost time, additional delays and cancellations are not uncommon when pre-admission screenings fall behind and day-of surgery surprises are discovered.
The above scenario is all too familiar to many ASCs, Charlotte Surgery Center included. In the past an unexpected closure such as last week’s snow storm would have required nursing staff at Charlotte Surgery Center to triage patients upon arrival the day the surgery center re-opened. However this storm was different, even with 44 surgeries scheduled the center re-opened without missing a beat.
To the staff’s surprise the online pre-admission solution the facility recently deployed, One Medical Passport, enabled nurses to keep operations running smoothly despite a two day closure. Nurses were able to securely access the system, from the safety of their home, to ensure pre-op histories were complete. For those that were not complete, staff were able to call patients and input the histories online for them without leaving their homes. Surgeons and anesthesiologists also have secure access to histories when working remotely.
What is typically a chaotic event, a facility’s re-opening after an unexpected closure, was smooth sailing at Charlotte Surgery Center. All surgeries occurred without delay which would not have been possible without the One Medical Passport system in place.
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At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.