Patrick Forrest, MD, the CMO of Nashville, Tenn-based PhyMed, recently published a list detailing the characteristics of a high-performing ASC.
Here were some insights he shared:
1. Dr. Forrest suggested surgical teams spend extra time to ensure patients are good candidates for outpatient surgery in an ASC environment to help with facilitating throughput, mitigating risk and the conservation of resources.
2. Using electronic health records are another way ASCs can improve performance, specifically through improved pharmacy reconciliation, compliance and quality data capture. EHRs can also provide a platform for standardization of preoperative evaluation and clinical guidelines, which can drive patient outcomes and patient safety.
3. Data analytics can help capture small details that can help improve performance, Dr. Forrest said. Data analytics can reveal variation by facility, clinician or operating room, allowing surgical teams to evaluate how to improve throughput.
4. Dr. Forrest recommended anesthesiologists with experience in perioperative care review current protocols. Periodic reviews and updating of preoperative testing guidelines can cut back on unnecessary laboratory testing, increasing patient satisfaction and throughput while reducing costs.