Daniel Hoeffel, MD, told the Johnson & Johnson Institute three key questions to ask prior to starting an outpatient total joint program.
Here are the key details to know:
1. What volume can the ASC take on? Determining the volume of procedures the ASC will handle helps the center determine if the program would be sustainable.
2. What are our goals? Complication, patient satisfaction and protocol adherence rates for outpatient total joint replacement are metrics ASCs should analyze before starting a program.
3. Can we forgo a hospital partnership? A potential roadblock to starting an outpatient total joint program is finding a hospital partnership. ASCs need to ask themselves if they're willing to forego testing their model in the inpatient setting before moving to outpatient.