Memorial Mission Surgery Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., was recently recognized by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy through its "Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program." The program seeks to recognize facilities committed to following guidelines on privileging, quality assurance, endoscopy reprocessing and CDC infection control guidelines.
Here are five processes and elements of operation critical to Memorial Mission's ability to provide an excellent patient experience and quality care, according to Sharon Rosser, RN, endoscopy manager, and Brent A. McLean, administrator for the ASC.
1. Teamwork. Everyone works together to make sure the patients are cared for in a safe and efficient way. In addition to credentials, all new hires are assessed to see whether or not they "will fit" with the culture. This emphasis, in combination with the perks of working in an ASC, allow us to hire only the best of the best which translates directly to better patient outcomes.
2. Consistent anesthesia personnel are key. A large group provides coverage for our center but usually staffs our facility with the same core clinicians. This gives us greater alignment than a traditional ASC or HOPD and is a great advantage when rolling out new procedures or processes.
3. Patient feedback is critical. Surveys are mailed to all patients and any suggestions are evaluated at a weekly managers meeting.
4. Syncing our data with physician offices allows us to respond to post procedural and post operative complications immediately. This also gives us more information to use to identify trends.
5. Good ancillary departments make a huge difference in helping our clinicians provide excellent care. The courteousness of the Business Office sets a tone for the entire patient experience and they know that. Additionally, our materials management team has worked with clinicians to balance the need to have the right equipment and supplies at the right place at the right time with the need to control inventory levels.
Read more guidance on running an efficient ASC:
- 3 Small Changes for Big Improvements
- 5 Best Practices to Improve ASC Marketing Efforts
- 5 Ways to Improve Your ASC's Quality of Care and Achieve Great Accreditation Survey Results
Here are five processes and elements of operation critical to Memorial Mission's ability to provide an excellent patient experience and quality care, according to Sharon Rosser, RN, endoscopy manager, and Brent A. McLean, administrator for the ASC.
1. Teamwork. Everyone works together to make sure the patients are cared for in a safe and efficient way. In addition to credentials, all new hires are assessed to see whether or not they "will fit" with the culture. This emphasis, in combination with the perks of working in an ASC, allow us to hire only the best of the best which translates directly to better patient outcomes.
2. Consistent anesthesia personnel are key. A large group provides coverage for our center but usually staffs our facility with the same core clinicians. This gives us greater alignment than a traditional ASC or HOPD and is a great advantage when rolling out new procedures or processes.
3. Patient feedback is critical. Surveys are mailed to all patients and any suggestions are evaluated at a weekly managers meeting.
4. Syncing our data with physician offices allows us to respond to post procedural and post operative complications immediately. This also gives us more information to use to identify trends.
5. Good ancillary departments make a huge difference in helping our clinicians provide excellent care. The courteousness of the Business Office sets a tone for the entire patient experience and they know that. Additionally, our materials management team has worked with clinicians to balance the need to have the right equipment and supplies at the right place at the right time with the need to control inventory levels.
Read more guidance on running an efficient ASC:
- 3 Small Changes for Big Improvements
- 5 Best Practices to Improve ASC Marketing Efforts
- 5 Ways to Improve Your ASC's Quality of Care and Achieve Great Accreditation Survey Results