Ambulatory Surgery

Latest Issue of OR Manager
March 2025
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Survey: Most ASC leaders plan to stay the course after pandemic

Consistency is the word that comes to mind when reviewing results from the 2021 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) reported that salary, satisfaction, and the number of employees supervised were comparable to metrics reported in 2020. The good news is that…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
September 21, 2021
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Surgical patients find postop virtual visits more convenient without loss of satisfaction

Editor's Note In this study by researchers at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, surgical patients find virtual follow-up care more convenient than traditional in-person appointments without loss of quality or efficiency, which are important components of patient satisfaction. The analysis included 289 patients having laparoscopic appendectomy or…

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By: Judy Mathias
September 9, 2021
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Maintaining a productive OR as cases shift to ASCs

The migration of surgical procedures from hospital ORs to hospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is picking up speed. According to a recent survey, three-quarters of larger hospitals now have an ownership stake in more than one ASC. Two-thirds of US health systems are currently planning to increase their ASC investment.…

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By: Leslie Basham, MBA, Thomas Blasco, MD, MS, Brian Watha, MHSA, Anne Cole, RN, MSN, CNOR and Joan Dentler
August 19, 2021
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COVID-19 driving the move to regional anesthesia

Cancellations of some surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic and case rescheduling have been a major focus for perioperative leaders. But changes are also occurring in anesthesia practices. For many surgical procedures, the use of regional anesthesia or nerve blocks, coupled with light sedation, is reported to double if the…

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By: Steven C. Eror
July 20, 2021
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ENT leaders share innovative ideas to calm pediatric patients

Advancements in technology have made it easier to distract children and ease their fears when they are undergoing surgery, but managing this patient population presents unique challenges. To guide parents and children through the surgery experience, leaders at some ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have turned to child life specialists, innovative…

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By: Jennifer Lubell
July 20, 2021
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Utility of COVID-19 testing of asymptomatic patients before ambulatory, inpatient surgical procedures

Editor's Note In this study by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, mass COVID-19 preprocedure testing detected positive asymptomatic patients who were missed by clinical screening alone. The median test turnaround time was 7.8 hours. Of 75, 528 preprocedure tests performed: 318 (0.4%) patients tested positive…

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By: Judy Mathias
July 1, 2021
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Think ahead: Plan today for tomorrow's staffing gaps

Planning ahead isn’t always intuitive in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). However, when a business manager or clinical coordinator suddenly falls ill, announces plans to retire, or quits unexpectedly, ASC leaders need to respond nimbly and effectively. Someone has to step in and take over to make a seamless transition without…

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By: Jennifer Lubell
June 22, 2021
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ISMP introduces perioperative Medication Safety Self Assessment

Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on June 16 that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has launched a new Medication Safety Self Assessment for perioperative settings to gauge how well organizations are doing in protecting surgical patients from medication errors. The new tool, which is for hospitals, ambulatory…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 17, 2021
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Remote monitoring for ambulatory surgery patients reduces postop ED visits

Editor's Note This study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ambulatory surgery center, New York City, finds that remote measurement of patient-reported symptoms after surgery can improve outcomes and reduce postoperative urgent care and emergency department (ED) visits. The researchers developed an electronic platform and alert system, called…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 8, 2021
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CMS extends ASC quality data reporting deadline

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 17 that it has extended the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program data submission deadline from Monday, May 17, to Monday, July 19, 2021. The extension provides ASCs with more time to obtain HARP [Health Care Quality…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 19, 2021
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