FEATURE


Here at the ASC, since we always have the same people, the care is a lot better. It is hard to put a price on the value of working with a consistent team day in and day out.”


Focusing Outside the OR While much of the attention in build- ing a spine surgery team is naturally on the people who work in the operating room (OR), Robinson cautions ASC leaders not to overlook the important roles of other ASC team members. “A successful procedure starts before the patient even enters the center by our staff collaborating with the surgeon’s office,” Robinson says. “Our preop- erative team collects as much infor- mation as possible about the patient’s medical history and works with anes- thesia to prepare the best approach for the patient’s care. Such open dialogue and coordination continue all the way through discharge to provide a smooth and positive patient experience.” Reiter suggests that some of the most important team members are not even on the ASC staff. “So much of a spine procedure’s success depends upon engaging and involving patients and their family members every step of the way,” she says. “Education should be ongoing, and there should be no unanswered questions before a procedure and before the patient leaves your facility. ”Every patient and family are differ-


ent,” she says. “You need to approach them with an open mind. A whole pro- gram can collapse around even a small case if you proceed with a patient who is not appropriate or adequately pre- pared for their surgical experience.” Considering the role staff at sur- geons’ offices play in scheduling and initially preparing patients for their spine surgery experience, these indi- viduals should be treated like team members as well, Flory says. Cas- cade’s certificate of need rules require that only physicians from its affiliated practice perform procedures at the


So much of a spine procedure’s success depends upon engaging and involving patients and their family members every step of the way. … A whole program can collapse around even a small case if you proceed with a patient who is not appropriate or adequately prepared for their surgical experience.”


—Karen Reiter, RN, CASC, Disc Surgery Center


ASC. “Even with this close alignment, communication between the office and the surgery center is no small feat. It needs regular, if not constant, atten- tion because that coordination is vital to assuring excellent care.”


Robinson says Unity also places a high priority on building good rela- tionships with its supply vendors. “We consider them a part of our team to provide implants, equipment and instruments. Our close connection developed over time means they can better anticipate our ASC’s and spine surgeons’ needs.”


Flory adds, “The bottom line is that all aspects of the center must run well to deliver the best spine care and main- tain a viable business.”


The Intangibles There are many factors beyond the individuals who comprise a spine sur- gery team that will determine a pro- gram’s long-term success, Reiter says. “Success or failure should not be mea- sured by how we perform a single


procedure. Rather, success is more about looking back each day on what was successful and what was not and determining how we can continuously improve from patient to patient and procedure to procedure.” This includes embracing the chal-


lenges your ASC faces, Flory says. “It is a mistake to look at regulatory oversight as a burden. We think of it as an opportunity to ensure our level of care meets and, hopefully, exceeds these expectations, which will help us improve the patient experience.” According to Robinson, a team will struggle to maintain success if it lacks a true partnership between everyone involved in the patient experience.” That partnership includes surgeons.


“They must embrace their role on the team,” Reiter says. “At DISC, our sur- geon participation makes a big dif- ference. When surgeons collaborate in huddles, encourage staff to speak up when they have concerns and treat staff as equals, the team takes greater pride in the success of the program.”


ASC FOCUS MAY 2020 | ascfocus.org 19


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