Mandy Gerlach, COO of Coral Gables, Fla.-based Baptist Health South Florida’s Outpatient Services, joined Becker’s to discuss how her team builds a culture where every employee feels empowered to “stop the line,” and why hiring and leadership alignment are the first steps to a high-performing ASC.
Editor’s note: This interview was edited lightly for clarity and length.
Question: How do you integrate new hires into your safety and work culture?
Mandy Gerlach: We have a robust onboarding program focusing on patient safety, quality and accountability. Every new employee has a preceptor and an educator. This ensures they’re competent and reinforces that patient safety and quality are everyone’s responsibility. We also emphasize creating a safe space where staff can speak up or “stop the line” if something doesn’t look right.
Q: Why is creating that safe space so important?
MG: Especially in a surgical setting, there are many opportunities for errors. Everyone — from the person cleaning the room to surgical techs, nurses or pre-op staff — needs to feel empowered to flag anything that could impact patient care. It ensures staff directly influence the quality and safety of care.
Q: If another ASC wanted to follow your path, what’s the first step you’d recommend?
MG: Hire the right people. People who are committed, take ownership, and understand the mission of providing high-quality care. Leadership alignment is critical, and leaders need to use data to drive performance improvement.
Even with limited resources, ASCs can assign key roles — risk management, patient safety officer, educator, infection control — to create an effective patient safety program. Using available resources effectively and fostering a collaborative culture is the key.
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.