In a presentation at the 9th Annual Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference in Chicago on June 10, Joyce Deno Thomas, RN, BSN, and Robert Welti, MD, senior vice presidents of operations for Regent Surgical Health, discussed how to avoid critical ASC mistakes.
Ms. Thomas and Dr. Welti presented several techniques for avoiding mistakes in ambulatory surgery centers. One strategy is choosing the right people. Ms. Thomas suggested ASC leaders develop clear goals and values for the center and emphasize these to employees from the beginning. For example, the employees' job descriptions should clearly include expectations related to the center's values and how employees can demonstrate these values.
To ensure hiring an employee appropriate for the position, Ms. Thomas said leaders should meet applicants in person before hiring because how a person interacts with others shows how they will behave towards patients. For example, Ms. Thomas does not hire candidates who do not smile, regardless of their credentials, because they will project a negative image to patients. She also suggests interviewing and selecting employees based on historical performance because it accurately predicts future performance. Leaders can assess past performance by asking behavioral questions, such as how they handled stress or mistakes in the past. Not knowing his or her mistakes is a sign that the applicant may not be appropriate, according to Ms. Thomas, who said people with integrity know their mistakes and how they corrected them.
Dr. Welti described mistakes of omission, which occur because of inaction, and mistakes of commission, which occur because of an incorrect action. For example, failure to survey physician satisfaction surveys is a mistake of omission. Dr. Welti said surveying physicians can help the center assess factors influencing physician utilization and then make the appropriate changes. In contrast, just saying "no" to a physician's requests is a mistake of commission. Dr. Welti said it is important to let physicians know you are serious about their requests. Leaders can show physicians they seriously consider physicians' comments and requests by saying "I'll see what I can do" or other responses that are not simple refusals, according to Dr. Welti.
Related Articles on Improving ASCs:
The Christ Hospital Spine Surgery Center: A Case Study in Successful ASC Partnerships
Making Workers' Compensation Cases Profitable in Surgery Centers
6 Ways to Increase Spine Surgery Productivity in Surgery Centers
Ms. Thomas and Dr. Welti presented several techniques for avoiding mistakes in ambulatory surgery centers. One strategy is choosing the right people. Ms. Thomas suggested ASC leaders develop clear goals and values for the center and emphasize these to employees from the beginning. For example, the employees' job descriptions should clearly include expectations related to the center's values and how employees can demonstrate these values.
To ensure hiring an employee appropriate for the position, Ms. Thomas said leaders should meet applicants in person before hiring because how a person interacts with others shows how they will behave towards patients. For example, Ms. Thomas does not hire candidates who do not smile, regardless of their credentials, because they will project a negative image to patients. She also suggests interviewing and selecting employees based on historical performance because it accurately predicts future performance. Leaders can assess past performance by asking behavioral questions, such as how they handled stress or mistakes in the past. Not knowing his or her mistakes is a sign that the applicant may not be appropriate, according to Ms. Thomas, who said people with integrity know their mistakes and how they corrected them.
Dr. Welti described mistakes of omission, which occur because of inaction, and mistakes of commission, which occur because of an incorrect action. For example, failure to survey physician satisfaction surveys is a mistake of omission. Dr. Welti said surveying physicians can help the center assess factors influencing physician utilization and then make the appropriate changes. In contrast, just saying "no" to a physician's requests is a mistake of commission. Dr. Welti said it is important to let physicians know you are serious about their requests. Leaders can show physicians they seriously consider physicians' comments and requests by saying "I'll see what I can do" or other responses that are not simple refusals, according to Dr. Welti.
Related Articles on Improving ASCs:
The Christ Hospital Spine Surgery Center: A Case Study in Successful ASC Partnerships
Making Workers' Compensation Cases Profitable in Surgery Centers
6 Ways to Increase Spine Surgery Productivity in Surgery Centers