Tracey Hood, RN, administrator for Ohio Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center and Mid Ohio Valley Medical Center in Belpre, offers three ways her ASCs keep GI a profitable and efficient specialty.
1. Single software system. The ASCs rely on a single software system — SourceMedical's AdvantX — for entire patient experience at the centers.
"We flow the patient from initial scheduling all the way to billing through the system — all charges, all nursing information is pushed through it," Ms. Hood says. "I think that really speeds up the flow of our care. It's just one seamless system."
2. Aggressive materials management. A dedicated materials manager is constantly reviewing vendor contracts and shopping around for cheaper prices for the ASCs' supplies.
"Our very low supply costs really help us financially," Ms. Hood says. "Even with the Medicare decreases in reimbursements, we're still able to be profitable in GI because of the wonderful materials manager we have for both centers. She is always shopping supplies to see if we can get better deals and we constantly try to compress our supply costs."
3. Families remain with patients. A simple effort to keep families with patients throughout as much of the surgical day as possible has helped with patient satisfaction and flow, Ms. Hood says.
The Mid Ohio Valley center features private patient rooms and the family stays with that patient in that room before the procedure and the family is waiting for them after surgery. "It seems to be a great patient satisfaction item for us — there's minimal separation between family and patient," she says.
Keeping the family with the patient also helps address more questions and concerns before and after surgery and reduces the likelihood of questions after the patient leaves the ASC. "We do our pre- and post-op teachings together before the procedure and I think that helps facilitate the flow afterwards. It also gives a time before the patient is sedated and the family member is there as well for the instructions."
Learn more about Ohio Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center, an ASCOA facility.
1. Single software system. The ASCs rely on a single software system — SourceMedical's AdvantX — for entire patient experience at the centers.
"We flow the patient from initial scheduling all the way to billing through the system — all charges, all nursing information is pushed through it," Ms. Hood says. "I think that really speeds up the flow of our care. It's just one seamless system."
2. Aggressive materials management. A dedicated materials manager is constantly reviewing vendor contracts and shopping around for cheaper prices for the ASCs' supplies.
"Our very low supply costs really help us financially," Ms. Hood says. "Even with the Medicare decreases in reimbursements, we're still able to be profitable in GI because of the wonderful materials manager we have for both centers. She is always shopping supplies to see if we can get better deals and we constantly try to compress our supply costs."
3. Families remain with patients. A simple effort to keep families with patients throughout as much of the surgical day as possible has helped with patient satisfaction and flow, Ms. Hood says.
The Mid Ohio Valley center features private patient rooms and the family stays with that patient in that room before the procedure and the family is waiting for them after surgery. "It seems to be a great patient satisfaction item for us — there's minimal separation between family and patient," she says.
Keeping the family with the patient also helps address more questions and concerns before and after surgery and reduces the likelihood of questions after the patient leaves the ASC. "We do our pre- and post-op teachings together before the procedure and I think that helps facilitate the flow afterwards. It also gives a time before the patient is sedated and the family member is there as well for the instructions."
Learn more about Ohio Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center, an ASCOA facility.