When hospitals were overrun during the pandemic, many ASCs had to navigate increases in caseloads.
Scott Smallwood is the administrator of Bend (Ore.) Surgery Center. He spoke to Becker's ASC Review on how his center was resilient and tough when faced with increased caseload.
Scott Smallwood: The Bend Surgery Center staff, like everyone on this earth, have had to face the personal and professional challenges brought about by COVID-19 — will my workplace be safe? Will there be adequate and appropriate personal protective equipment? Will I be safe? How will I make ends meet?
Flexibility, adaptability and resilience were a must. The staff maintained positive attitudes, care for their patients, care for themselves, and trust in management and the organization.
With the local hospital eliminating elective surgical procedures several times and for long periods of time, our staff continued in the work of providing care to the community by performing those elective cases. Many of them were urgent or emergent with higher acuities than an ASC would normally perform. The staff rose to the occasion of learning and performing new procedure types, managing the care of these higher-acuity patients.
COVID-19 has been tough. I have had the privilege of working with tough, kind, resilient and caring individuals with expertise in the practice throughout the whole experience.