The Oregon Surgical Institute in Beaverton, Ore., an ASC dedicated solely to outpatient joint replacements, opened last year. Two of the institutes partner surgeons, Drs. Jim Ballard and Chris Nanson, shared their thoughts on their experience opening the center with Regent Surgical Health.
Three things to know:
1. Dr. Nanson compared the experience of opening an ASC focused on total joints to building a moon colony, filled with ups and downs that surgeons should be prepared for. Dr. Nanson said total joints are the "next frontier," driving the paradigm shift of procedures to the outpatient setting.
2. Dr. Ballard said the ASC environment is key to patient success after a total joint replacement. Patients recover better at ASCs because they're less stressful than hospitals, he said.
3. Dr. Nanson said the most important thing about establishing an outpatient total joint program is creating the patient care pathway, which is the process of getting all ASC staff on board with the various steps of a procedure, including anesthesiologists and operating room nurses, among others.