1. Formed a state-mandated patient safety organization. In 2004, Public Act 04-164 required all Connecticut surgery centers and hospital to contract with an approved patient safety organization. Connecticut ASC industry leaders knew the Connecticut Hospital Association operated a PSO, but they feared the organization would not address the concerns that were most important to surgery centers. Instead of joining an existing patient safety organization, they decided to form their own — the Ambulatory Surgery Center Patient Safety Organization. “We wanted to deal with our own issues and our own problems, so the ASC PSO is geared toward patient safety concerns in the ambulatory surgery arena,” Ms. Bozzuto says. “We have 53 members, ranging from single to multi-specialty and from single physician owners to large hospital joint ventures.”
The PSO focuses on educating ASCs on safety and quality indicators. The organization distributes informational booklets on flu vaccines, handwashing and other patient safety regulations. They are also mandated to meet twice a year by the state, and at those meetings, ASC leaders share insight on quality issues, changes through health reform and other topics that concern the industry.
2. Talked to the state about the future of reporting. As mandatory quality reporting for ASCs becomes more likely, Connecticut ASC leaders are also considering how ASCs — especially those with smaller margins and fewer staff — will be able to meet reporting requirements. Ms. Bozzuto says the ASC Association met with the Connecticut state commissioner last year to put together a quality reporting questionnaire for ASCs . She says ASC leaders must absolutely work with the government to ensure requirements for ASCs are appropriate for the size and financial strength of many centers.
“With some of these ASCs, the margins are small and there’s not that much money. These are ‘mom and pop’ establishments, and they just can’t accommodate that kind of reporting,” she says. To ease those centers into the reporting process, she says the Association recommends that ASCs start reporting on paper and build to electronic reporting at a later date.
3. Conducted regular audits on top quality issues. There are certain safety issues ASC leaders know will be extremely important going forward, Ms. Bozzuto says. To increase knowledge and compliance on these issues, she says the Association conducts regular studies and audits to determine whether ASCs are prepared to meet requirements. “We do studies on handwashing to make sure everybody understands the importance of hand-washing,” she says. “We’ve employed an infection control person who works in one of our local hospitals, and she consults with us and makes sure everyone is doing the right thing.”
4. Solicited questions from member ASCs. In addition to talking with the government about changes coming down the pipeline for ASCs, the Connecticut ASC Association solicits questions about quality, financing and reporting from its member ASCs. “We hear from our members all the time because we say, ‘What is it you’d like from us?'” Ms. Bozzuto says. “They come to us on hazardous waste, infection control and quality studies, and we present on those topics and do studies to see what everyone [thinks about each topic.” She says maintaining active communication between the state association and its member ASCs removes any association “blind spots” and ensures every ASC is prepared for the changes over the next few years.
