FEATURE
framework for setting up your business and for your operations.” Next, Dolsen says, she looks to Medi-
Expert Advice
There are ways to make sure your ASC’s board members have the information they need. BY ROBERT KURTZ
T
he term governing body appears 79 times in Medicare’s 2009 revised
version of its Conditions for Coverage, says Sandra Jones, CASC, president of Ambulatory Strategies Inc. in Dade City, Florida, a surveyor for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and an ASCA Board member. And that’s just in the Conditions for Coverage. When you also factor in the guidelines from an accrediting agency, other federal agencies and state licensing agencies, she says, the requirements are even more sig- nificant and can pose a challenge to any organization. By educating your govern- ing board, you can ensure that its mem- bers will meet the Conditions for Cover- age and other requirements and deliver valuable expertise and strong oversight of your surgery center’s operations.
Start with the Basics When Regina Dolsen, RN, vice presi- dent of operations for Blue Chip Surgi-
22 ASC FOCUS JANUARY 2013
cal Center Partners in Cincinnati, Ohio, is involved in the development of a new surgery center or brought in to help turn around an existing facility, she establish- es a strong baseline for education by first introducing the governing board to the definition of an ASC found in the Condi- tions for Coverage. “It’s often the first time the board has
ever seen the definition, and it’s a very important concept for the board to un- derstand as it’s the foundation of what they’re supposed to do,” Dolsen says. “The board has to know what it means to be an ASC, and why and how that’s different from a hospital. I usually tell the board members that as we develop our scope of service, our mission and goals, and the direction that we want to head, try to interject that definition and its meaning into everything we do, so that right from the get-go, you come off on a very good footing and have a good
care’s interpretive guidelines related to the Conditions for Coverage, which in- terpret and clarify the requirements and provide a significant amount of informa- tion on the role of the governing body. “These tell you that the governing body must be responsible for the operation of the center as a whole,” she says. “To set up board agendas going forward, I rely strongly on the interpretative guidelines to determine what I will need to have the board approve.” As you plan agendas for govern- ing board meetings, you will also want to note any additional requirements for your board determined by your accredi- tation agency, other federal rules such as those from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and state rules, says Regina Robinson, RN, CASC, di- rector of Peninsula Surgery Center in Newport News, Virginia, and founder of Two Rivers Group Consultants, also based in Newport News.
Take Small Steps to Education With a strong framework and an under- standing of the governing board’s re- sponsibilities in place, it’s now a matter of taking a gradual approach to educat- ing the board on these rules, says Jones. “The board needs to be responsible for everything, so you can’t bring every little nuance of what you do to a board meet- ing or you’ll lose their attention. You need to be able to make it succinct.” Jones advises administrators to
break down the regulations into a gen- eral template or outline that includes what you need to bring to the board’s attention and how often these topics need to be discussed. “Then, you need to create your own reporting mecha- nism that allows you to provide enough information so the board can really give you input into an area, such as a quality improvement or compliance research project, and then, you can bring the
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